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MEMORIAL ADDRESSES 



LIFE AND CHARACTER 



PETER J. OTEY 



i LaTK I REPRESENTATIVE FROM VlR< I 



DELIVERED IN THE 



HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATE, 



FIFTY-SEVENTH C( INGRESS, 
First Session. 



WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 
ICJ02. 



,0*18 U5I 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



Page. 

Proceedings in the House 5 

Address of Mr. Jones, of Virginia IO 

Address of Mr. Jenkins, of Wisconsin '9 

Address of Mr. Flood, of Virginia 21 

Address of Mr. Lanham, of Texas 2 5 

Address of Mr. Hay, of Virginia 29 

Address of Mr. Morris, of Minnesota 3 1 

Address of Mr. Swanson, of Virginia 34 

Address of Mr. De Armond, of Missouri 39 

Address of Mr. Rhea, of Virginia 47 

Address of Mr. McCall, of Massachusetts 5° 

Address of Mr. Rixey, of Virginia 52 

Address of Mr. Graff, of Illinois 55 

Address of Mr. William W. Kitchin, of North Carolina . 59 

Address of Mr. Lamb, of Virginia 6 1 

Address of Mr. Mercer, of Nebraska 66 

Address of Mr. Mahon, of Pennsylvania 68 

Proceedings in the Senate I 1 

Address of Mr. Martin, of Virginia 75 

Address of Mr. Gallinger, of New Hampshire 7 s 

Address of Mr. Perkins, of California So 

Address of Mr. Clay, of Georgia S3 

Address of Mr. Daniel, of Virginia SS 

3 



Death of Hon. Peter J. Otey. 



Proceedings in the House 

May 5, 1902. 

The House met at 12 o'clock noon. The Chaplain, Rev. 
Henry N. Couden, D. D., offered the following prayer: 

Almighty God our Heavenly Father, surely Thou hast laid a 
heavy hand upon us; and oh, how forcibly are we reminded of 
the uncertainty of life. Our cup of sorrow already full, Thou 
hast touched another member of the Congressional family and 
borne his spirit to the realms beyond. Genial and kindly of 
disposition, buoyant of heart, he had won the affection of his 
colleagues and friends; and by industry, courage, and devotion 
to duty, their respect and confidence. He will be mourned and 
missed here and by a devoted constituency at home; and O 
God, be very near we pray Thee to the stricken wife and 
mourning children. Put Thy loving arms about them and 
give them sustaining grace, and help them to look forward 
with bright anticipations to that future where life is eternal; in 
the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

DEATH OF REPRESENTATIYF OTEY, OF VIRGINIA. 

Mr. Joxes, of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, it is with deep feeling 
and profound sorrow that I announce the death of my late col- 
league, the Hon. Peter J. Otey, which occurred at his home 
in the city of Lynchburg at half past 3 o'clock on yesterday 
afternoon. 

At some future time I shall ask the House to set apart a day 
when members may have an opportunity to pay tributes to the 

5 



6 Proccedmgs in the House. 

personal virtues and public services of my deceased colleague. 
I now send to the Clerk's desk and ask to have read the 
resolutions which I offer and for which I ask immediate 
consideration. 

The Speaker. The gentleman from Virginia offers the fol- 
lowing resolutions, which the Clerk will report. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

Resolved, That the House has heard with deep regret and profound 
sorrow of the death of the Hon. Peter J. Otev, a Representative from 
the State of Virginia. 

Resolved, That a committee of fourteen members of the House, with 
such members of the Senate as may be joined, be appointed to attend the 
funeral at Lynchburg, Va., and that the necessary expenses attending 
the execution of this order be paid out of the contingent fund of the 
House. 

Resolved, That the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House be authorized and 
directed to take such steps as may be necessary for properly carrying out 
the provisions of this resolution. 

Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the Senate 
and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the deceased. 

The resolutions were agreed to; and in pursuance thereof 
the Speaker announced as the committee on the part of the 
House Mr. Jones, Mr. Swanson, Mr. Rixey, Mr. Hay, Mr. 
Lamb, Mr. Rhea, and Mr. Flood, Virginia; Mr. Hepburn, 
Iowa; Mr. Meyer, Louisiana; Mr. Jenkins, Wisconsin; Mr. 
Lanham, Texas; Mr. Olmsted, Pennsylvania; Mr. De Armond, 
Missouri; Mr. McCall, Massachusetts. 

Mr. Jones, of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, as a further mark of 
respect to my deceased colleague, I move that the House do 
now adjourn. 

The Speaker. The gentleman from Virginia, as a further 
mark of respect for our deceased friend, moves that the House 
do now adjourn. 

The motion was agreed to. 

Accordingly (at 12 o'clock and 12 minutes p. m. ) the House 
adjourned. 



Proceedings in the House. 7 

May 6, 1902. 
message from the senate. 
A message announced that the Senate had passed the fol- 
lowing resolutions: 

Resolved, That the Senate has heard with deep regret and sorrow the 
announcement of the death of Hon. Peter J. Otev, Representative in 
Congress of the Sixth Congressional district in Virginia. 

Resolved, That a committee of seven Senators be appointed by the 
Presiding Officer of the Senate to join the committee of the House of 
Representatives to make arrangements for and to attend the funeral 
of the deceased. 

Resolved, That as a further mark of respect the Senate do now adjourn. 

And that in compliance with the foregoing the President 
pro tempore had appointed as members of the committee 
on the part of the Senate Mr. Daniel. Mr. Martin, Mr. Bate, 
Mr. Clay, Mr. Gallinger, Mr. Clark, of Wyoming, and Mr. 
Millard. 

Junk. 12, 1902. 

eulogies on the eate representative otev. 

Mr. Jones, of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, June 10, 
an order was entered providing for a session of the House of 
Representatives on Sunday June 29, the session to be devoted 
to eulogies on the late Representative Amos J. Cummings. 
I ask unanimous consent that that order be so modified that 
after the conclusion of the eulogies provided for therein, 
eulogies may be pronounced upon the life and character of 
my late colleague, Maj. Pktek J. Otkv. 

The Speaker. The gentleman from Virginia asks unani- 
mous consent to so modify the order in respect to the eulogies 
upon the life of the late Representative Cummings, to be held 
on the 29th of this month, that it will be in order to consider 
similar eulogies upon the life and character of the late Major 
OTEY. Is there objection? [After a pause.] The Chair 
hears none, and it is so ordered. 



MEMORIAL ADDRESSES. 

Sunday, June 29, 1902 

The House met at 11 o'clock a. 111. 

The Chaplain, Rev. Henry N. Couden, D. D.. offered the 
following prayer : 

Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, we lift up our hearts 
in gratitude to Thee for a deep, tender, sympathetic nature, 
which enables us not only to enter into the joys and sorrows of 
our fellows, but enables us to appreciate all that is truly 
noble and great in them, and we bless Thee for the beautiful 
custom which prevails in the American Congress which, at the 
death of a member, brings them together in a memorial service 
that they may tenderly and feelingly express their sense of loss 
and pronounce fitting eulogies and encomiums on his life and 
character. 

We are here to-day, O Lord, feeling keenly the loss of two 
members of this House, who for their ability, strength of char- 
acter, manly bearing, and distinguished services have left 
vacant chairs which can not be easily filled, and we truly 
mourn their loss. We bless Thee for the excellency of their 
lives, for their distinguished and efficient services to their 
country, for the worthy example they have left behind them as 
statesmen and patriots. And we thank Thee that their col- 
leagues and associates will hold up to the world their charac- 
ters in the light of truth as examples worthy of study and 
emulation. And we bless Thee that this day has been selected, 
since it is really the Lord's Day — the day of the week on which 
the immortality of the soul was demonstrated and confirmed, 
8 



Memorial Addresses. g 

which assures us that death is not an extinction of being, but 
an epoch — an event — in the grand eternal inarch of existence 
Let Thy blessing be upon this service, and fit us all by the 
discipline of the now that we may enter upon the then fully 
prepared for whatever awaits us. 

Comfort, we beseech Thee, the bereaved families with the 
blessed assurance of a never-ending reunion, where the angel 
of death never enters, where joy and peace eternal shall reign 
supreme, and glory and honor and praise be Thine through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

EULOGIES ON THE LATE REPRESENTATIVE; OTEY. 

Mr. Jones, of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I offer the following 
resolutions. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

Resolved, That as a mark of respect to the Hon. Peter J. Otev, late a 
member of this House from the State of Virginia, and in pursuance of the 
order of the House heretofore made, the business of the House be now 
suspended to enable his associates to pay fitting tribute to his high char- 
acter and distinguished services. 

Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the Senate. 

Resolved, That as an additional mark of respect at the conclusion of 
these exercises the House do adjourn. 

Resolird, That the Clerk be, and he is hereby, instructed to send a copy 
of these resolutions to the family of the deceased. 

The Speaker pro tempore (Mr. McClellan). The question 
is on agreeing to the resolutions. 

The resolutions were unanimously agreed to 



Life and Character of Peter f. Otey. 



Address of Mr. Jones, of Virginia. 

Mr. Speaker: Death is an unwelcome messenger, but none 
comes more surely, none comes with a summons more impera- 
tive. The messenger, though expected, generally arrives 
unexpectedly. To each of us he is destined to come, and 
none of us who have arrived at the years of understanding 
have any hope of escaping service of the final summons, which 
all must obey; but we are prone to delude ourselves into a 
semblance of belief that the stern messenger will not arrive 
for many days or years, even when every known signal of 
physical distress heralds his coming and beckons him to make 
haste. 

Familiar as we are with death, and often as the summons 
which he bears comes to friend and foe all about us, we are 
startled and shocked as one after another of the children of 
our Heavenly Father goes hence, to return no more forever. 
Particularly is this true when the stricken one is bound to us 
by the strong ties of kinship or by the almost equally strong 
ties of friendship. 

Thus it was that when the announcement of the death of 
Major Otey came so unexpectedly I, with hundreds of other 
friends, felt the shock of a personal loss, and shared the grief 
which the sudden taking off of a dear friend ever brings. And 
now, on this day set apart for the paying of our tributes to the 
memory of the deceased, with mingled feelings of sorrow that 
he has gone from among us and pride that while here the ties 
of a warm friendship brought us close together, I would utter 
a few words concerning the good man who lately was our 



Address of Mr. Jones, of Virginia. n 

colleague upon this floor, and who now we fain would believe 
has his place in a higher sphere of service. 

Peter Johnston Otev was born in Lynchburg, Va., 
December 22, 1840, and died there on Sunday, May 4, 1902. 
He came of a distinguished Virginia family on both the pater- 
nal and maternal sides. The father was John M. Otey; the 
maiden name of the mother was Lucy \V. Norvell. His grand- 
father, John Otey, won distinction in the Revolutionary war, 
fighting for the rights and liberty of the colonies. 

Major Otev was educated at the Virginia Military Institute, 
from which he was graduated July 1, i860. To the profession 
of civil engineer he determined to devote himself, and at once 
upon graduation he obtained employment with the engineering 
corps upon the Virginia and Kentucky Railroad, under the 
direction of Claudius Crozet, a most distinguished and accom- 
plished civil engineer. But the great war between the States 
soon began, and young Otev entered the army, to battle in 
defenseaof the South, and particularly of his beloved Virginia. 
His education at a military institution second only to West 
Point had prepared him well for this titanic war, where Amer- 
ican was to meet American in deadly conflict, and where the 
highest military qualities of the greatest people on earth were 
to be illustrated in scenes of awful grandeur. 

Major Otey enlisted in the Fifty-first Virginia Infantry, with 
which he served until promoted to major of the Thirtieth 
Virginia Battalion. In the summer and autumn of 1861 he 
saw active service in southeast Virginia, in the Kanawha 
Valley, where his commander was Gen. John B. Floyd, an 
uncle of his wife. He was at Fort Donelson, whence, with 
most of Floyd's command, he escaped just before the surrender 
and when the choice was between surrender and a desperate 
effort to escape that fate by breaking through the lines of the 
besiegers. He also distinguished himself upon the bloody 



12 Life and Character of Peter J. Otey. 

field of Shiloh, where the great Southern chieftain, Albert 
Sidney Johnston, fell, dying with victory in his grasp, his 
untimely death, however, robbing the Confederacy of its chief 
fruits. 

Later Major Otey saw much hard sendee with the Army of 
Northern Virginia. He fought under Breckinridge, Loring, 
Longstreet, Early, and Lee; helped to defend his native city 
against the invading Federal army under Hunter; commanded 
Wharton's brigade at the celebrated battle of Cedar Creek, in 
October, 1864; was severely wounded at Newmarket, where 
the cadets from the Virginia Military Institute fought with 
a steadiness and valor that would do honor to the finest veterans, 
many of them dying upon the bloody field, and many more 
leaving it maimed for life, youthful sacrifices offered upon the 
altar of home and Virginia. 

After performing well his part until near the close of the 
war, 011 the 2d of March, 1865, Major Otey was captured at 
Waynesboro and taken, a prisoner of war, to Fort Delaware, 
where he was held until after the end was reached at Appo- 
mattox. While at Fort Delaware he was a companion in 
misfortune with Charles F. Crisp, afterwards a distinguished 
Speaker of this House. 

It is stated upon what I believe to be good authority that 
Major Otey fired the first cannon discharged with hostile 
intent after Virginia passed the ordinance of secession, and it 
is also said that the shot he then discharged is the only one 
of all those fired from Sewells Point to take effect, this one 
striking a Federal vessel as it slowly moved up the river. 

While the war lasted there was no soldier of the South more 
devoted to the cause in which he was enlisted or more resolute 
in the determination to fight to the end, no matter how great 
the odds in favor of the other side; but when the war was 
ended, no one was readier than he to accept the decision and 



Address of Mr. Jones, of Virginia. 13 

make the most of the situation as he found it. At once he 
sought employment, that in the calm of peace he might do his 
full share in the might)* work of repairing as soon and as well 
as might be the ravages of war. His first employment was as 
a clerk in an express office in his native city. He had been 
educated as an engineer, and naturally he preferred a return to 
professional pursuits. Soon he went with General Mahone to 
the old Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad, and was one of 
the corps which surveyed the route from Lynchburg to Dan- 
ville. Later he built the railroad from Lynchburg to Durham, 
N. C. Later still he organized an insurance firm, which bore 
and yet bears the name of Peter J. Otey & Co. He was also 
for a time engaged in the banking business. 

For many years Major Otey was active and influential in 
politics for the sake of the cause and to help his friends. Not 
until 1S94 did he aspire to office. In that year he was elected 
to the House of Representatives as a member from the Sixth 
district of Virginia, taking his seat upon the assembling of the 
Fifty-fourth Congress. He was reelected to the Fifty-fifth, 
Fifty-sixth, and Fifty-seventh Congresses, and, had he lived, 
would have been nominated without opposition and as certainly 
elected to the Fifty -eighth Congress. Through two exciting 
Presidential campaigns he ably represented Virginia on the 
national Democratic committee. 

In Congress Major Otey was known as a most industrious, 
obliging, efficient, and conscientious member. He grew upon 
the House, and his friends here, as in Virginia, were as 
numerous as his acquaintances. 

Too much can not be said of the high character and many 
excellent qualities of this truly great man. I do not believe he 
had an enemy. I do not understand what manner of man it is 
who could be his enemy. He was generosity and kindliness 
and charity personified. lie was a model of industry and a 






14 Life and Character of Peter f. Otey. 

paragon in promptness and exactness. He had a place for 
everything', and everything that he touched bore evidence of 
his orderly methods and his thorough system. 

He was a man of fine ability, and no atom of his ability or 
energy ever found unworthy channels or was directed to ignoble 
ends. 

Major Otey ranked high in the House, not only for his in- 
dustry and probity and amiability, but also for his humor. He 
was one of the few real humorists in the Congress. Everyone 
who has been present when they occurred will recall his happy 
sallies. His humor was unadulterated. It pleased and soothed 
and cheered. It never wounded or exasperated. He was all sun- 
shine and tenderness and charity, and his humor was as natural 
and as innocent and as charming as the laughter of children. 
It smoothed away the wrinkles that care brings, banished the 
clouds, let in the sunshine, and awakened in the soul the echoes 
of murmuring rills and the songs of the birds. How we miss 
the master artist of humor, now gone from among us! 

Major Otey had a great, never-failing, ever-present love for 
the old Confederate soldier. His soul swelled and his pride 
mounted as he recalled the heroism of the man in gray. His 
tender heart was melted as he thought of the privations, the 
sorrows, the sufferings of his companions in arms. He never 
was happier than in the company of the grizzled veterans of the 
lost cause. With generous hand he ministered to the needy, 
and with kindly touch and prayerful spirit he strove — oh, so 
gently — to bind up the wounds of the afflicted. Devotion to a 
common cause, community of effort, of endurance, and of suffer- 
ing made all Confederates of kin to him — every one was his 
brother. They will miss him about the -old camp fires; the 
weight of years and of infirmities will rest heavier upon many; 
to many there will be longer days of sadness and fewer hours of 
joy, now that the friend of them all is to help them and gladden 



Address of Mr. Jones, of Virginia. 15 

them no more. He was the pupil of Stonewall Jackson; a son,, 
loving and devoted, of old Virginia; deep in sympathy with all 
who make sacrifices, all who suffer — how could it be otherwise 
than that he would cherish the memories and love the sur- 
vivors of the Confederacy? 

But it must not be thought by those who did not know our 
dead friend, it could not be by any of those who did know him, 
that in his love and veneration for the South, and for the tradi- 
tions and heroes of the South, he was lacking in devotion to 
the whole of our great Republic. Xo truer American ever 
lived. He was entirely void of sectional bitterness. For him 
there was no land but the United States. His love for the 
South was not unlike family affection, his love for the whole 
country was like unto the love of a friend, hardly short, indeed, 
of love for a venerated mother, whose chastisement is long since 
forgotten. 

The tender relations between Major Otev and his devoted 
wife, who remains to cherish his memory and mourn the loss of 
his delightful companionship, were rich in all of good and no- 
bility that the marital union can yield. Not only were this 
husband and wife most devoted and most happy in their strong 
and enduring attachment, the one for the other, but Mrs. Otey 
was the trusted counselor and ever efficient helper of her hus- 
band in every work and every ambition. 

Nor was this most excellent man anything short of the idol 
of his children, while for them his love ever flowed warm and 
free. Death indeed sought a shining mark when he aimed his 
unerring shaft at Pkter J. Otey, and out of a happy family, 
whose existence was sweetened by every gift of love and 
gentleness, has passed the head — the beloved of all and who 
devotedly loved all. 

I can not deny myself the satisfaction to be derived from 
relating an incident in the life of Major Otky, trifling maybe, 



16 Life and Character of Peter J . Oiey. 

according to the views of some, but in my judgment fairly 
illustrative of an admirable trait of character. Once, many 
years ago, as some of Major Otey's children were at play 
with some other children, one of the youngsters, a negro boy, 
was bitten by a moccasin. The child screamed with pain and 
fright, and Major Otky, who was at the house some distance 
away, ran to the little group to learn what the trouble was. 
They were in the country, and no physician or remedies near. 
Something must be done at once, or the little black boy would 
die. Major Otey sent some one posthaste for a doctor, and 
then, with the heroism of a martyr and the charity of a saint, 
he took the black bunch of humanity into his arms, put the 
wounded little black finger into his mouth, and patiently, with- 
out thought of the danger to which he exposed himself — no, 
with full knowledge of the danger — with his own lips he drew 
from the snake bite the deadly venom. When the doctor came, 
he declared that but for Major Otey's heroic deed the imperiled 
life could not have been saved. Of course the physician mar- 
veled at what had been done, but Otey thought nothing of it. 
He had merely done what humanity dictated; done it without 
fear, for he knew not fear in the discharge of duty. 

I knew Major Otey before I met him as a member of Con- 
gress — knew him as a leading man of the old Commonwealth of 
our love and pride, but it was as a colleague here that I learned 
to know him well and to love him. To all of us he was the 
truest and the best of friends. He never thought of gain for 
himself at the expense of another. He was ever ready to 
serve his friends. His chief pleasure as a member of Congress 
was found in trying to do something for his fellow-members. 
In this service of love he freely crossed the great aisle which 
separates us in the House upon the lines of party. A most 
ardent Democrat himself, he numbered among his warm per- 



Address of Mr. /ones, of Virginia, 17 

sonal friends many distinguished Republicans, and he was as 
generous in kindly deeds to the one as to the other. 

I had for Major Otev the affection of a brother, and it is one 
of the consolations of my life to believe that his affection for me 
was not less. He was a man in whom implicit confidence could 
be reposed. He never abandoned a friend nor betrayed a trust. 

I entered the House as a member of the Fifty-second Con- 
gress. Among those elected to that Congress from Virginia 
was Gen. William H. F. Lee, favorite son of the immortal 
Robert E. Lee. Death claimed him before the time for the 
assembling of Congress arrived. Since I have been here Vir- 
ginia has lost from her delegation Senator John S. Barbour, a 
noble representative of her best statesmanship; Sidney P. Epes, 
a lovable young man, taken in the spring and promise of man- 
hood; Richard A. Wise, scion of an illustrious family, a man 
of years and of experience, and Peter J. Otev, to whose 
blessed memory we would this day pay just tribute. To this 
list may be added from the number of those whom Virginia 
sent to the Congress since I entered it. Smith S. Turner, Paul 
C. Edmonds, E. E. Meredith, and Gen. James A. Walker, each 
of whom died soon after leaving the House. I do not believe 
the mortality among Congressmen has been so great in the 
period mentioned in any other State of the Union as it has been 
in Virginia. 

Major Otev loved the Virginia Military Institute, from 
whose halls he departed with his graduation certificate just 
before the storm of the civil war broke upon the country. He 
looked forward with bright anticipations to a visit to the old 
institution at the June commencement, just passed. But it was 
not to be. He had seen historic Lexington for the last time. 
He had followed his famous preceptor, Stonewall Jackson, over 
the river, for the final rest in the shade of the trees. 
H. Doc. 714 2 



1 8 Life and Character of Peter J. Otey. 

I was one of the Congressional committee appointed to 
attend the funeral of Major Otey, and never can I forget 
that sad day in Lynchburg. Business was suspended, uni- 
versal grief had hushed the everyday stir of the busy marts 
where men strive in the contests known to commerce. The 
community followed to the tomb the remains of the citizen 
whom all loved, and of whom all were proud. Most touch- 
ing was the picture made by the group of Confederate veterans 
assembled around the open grave. They had braved death 
often, had grown familiar enough with the dread presence to 
make sport of it. But there they were thoughtful and sad. 
The well-loved comrade and friend had gone from among 
them. Another tie, linking them to the past and binding 
them to the present, had been broken. 

As we turned from the last resting place of our friend we 
paused to gaze once more upon the wealth of glorious flowers — 
nature's own offering, sweetened by the touch of lovely woman — 
piled high over the abandoned tenement of clay. 

And so we left him asleep under the flowers. 

Good-bye, dear friend. Your life was sweet and noble, 
and sweet and ennobling memories of you will abide with us 
who knew you and who were blessed with your friendship 
until the day comes, be it near or far, for us to go the way 
you have gone. 



Address of Mr. Jenkins, of Wisconsin. 19 



Address of Mr. Jenkins, of Wisconsin. 

Mr. Speaker: I can not permit this mournful occasion to pass 
without pronouncing some eulogy on the life of the late lamented 
Peter Johnston Otey. 

We came to Congress together. This was our first acquaint- 
ance, but it ripened into a close friendship that continued un- 
broken until his untimely death. The attachment that grew 
between us was sincere, and I learned to respect his judgment 
and to confide in his wise and conservative counsel. I found 
Mr. Otey a most companionable friend, and his association 
with me is a sweet memory as we pause here to pay the final 
tribute to his worth. 

I have every reason to believe that he was a most courageous 
soldier. I certainly know that he was a wise and useful legisla- 
tor. Possessed of more than ordinary intelligence, a good 
business man, broad minded, honest, and untiring, he made his 
mark in this House, as this mournful occasion so eloquently 
testifies. 

There was nothing narrow nor selfish in his nature. His 
geniality, his conservatism, and his faithfulness in the perform- 
ance of public duty shone conspicuously in his independence of 
thought and action and in the success that crowned his Con- 
gressional period. 

We all painfully realize that his loss is national, and his 
coworkers on the floor of this House deeply mourn his sudden 
and untimely death. 

I remember full well the last time I saw him. He came 
to our committee room to examine into matters of public 
interest, declaring that he was going home for a few days, 



20 Life and Character of Peter f. Otey. 

and that on his return he would take up the many important 
matters demanding his personal attention. We little thought 
that death would interrupt the plans that he had matured 
by so suddenly summoning him to that bourne from which 
no traveler returns. Scarcely had he departed from this House 
when the news of his death reached and saddened us. 

His time and attention were given to the discharge of his 
public duties with a faithfulness and assiduity that challenged 
our admiration. I shall always respect his memory, and in 
this solemn presence declare my faith in his honesty and 
capability. 

His great aim was to do his full duty in the living present 
and to so gauge his action that it would have a beneficial 
effect upon the things of the future. He was modest in the 
discharge of his duties, unobtrusive, effectual, and engaging. 

It can be said of the lamented dead that he was proud of his 
State and loyal to his country. While greater men have lived 
and died, few indeed surpass him in the even tenor of his way 
and in the modesty and cordiality that characterized him and 
adorned his public career. We have the right to measure a 
man by the estimation in which he is held by his fellow-citizens 
with whom he lived and for whom he had dedicated his life. 

The entire populace of the city that he represented in this 
House gathered at his grave to do him honor and revere his 
memory. He is sincerely mourned by soldiers, public men, 
• and his vast constituency. Brave men of both armies bowed in 
reverence over his fresh-made grave and testified by flowers 
and by tears the sense of loss so all-pervading. 



Address of Mr. Flood, of Virginia. 21 



Address of Mr. Flood, of Virginia. 

Mr. Speaker: The duty, or rather the privilege, of adding 
my humble tribute to the exalted character, the useful life, 
and the public services of my deceased brother is sadly con- 
genial to my feelings, for in so doing I place a leaf upon the 
grave of a cherished friend. 

Peter Johnston Otey was of an honorable lineage, and 
his family connection was large and influential. He was 
educated at the Virginia Military Institute, the West Point 
of the South, and while he was a cadet at that institution the 
John Brown raid upon Harpers Ferry, that portent of the 
approaching storm of sectional strife, startled the South like 
the sound of a fire bell in the night. He marched with his 
fellow-cadets to the scene of the first hostile invasion of 
Virginia. 

After his graduation in i860 he engaged as a civil engineer 
in the business of railroad construction, but promptly upon 
the secession of Virginia he laid this aside to enlist in the 
defense of his native State. His first service was in the 
western campaign that culminated in the sanguinary battle of 
Shiloh, after which he was in the infantry line of the Army of 
Northern Virginia to the close of the war, being severely 
wounded at the battle of Newmarket. 

With the termination of hostilities he entered upon a busi- 
ness career which absorbed and engaged every faculty of mind 
and body until his election to Congress in 1894. In the insur- 
ance business, as a bank officer, and as railroad president he 
was signally successful. This could not but be so, since to a 



22 Life and Character of Peter f. Otcy. 

fine discriminating judgment, quick perception, systematic and 
methodical habits and scrupulous integrity he united an indom- 
itable energy that was almost impetuous in its eager activity. 
He was essentially a business man. The conspicuously active 
and energetic community in which he lived did not possess a 
busier, brainier man. His name was the synonym of honor 
and uprightness, and no man ever enjoyed the confidence of a 
community in a higher degree than Major Otey enjoyed that 
of the community in which he was born, had been reared, and 
had spent his life. 

From earliest manhood he took a lively interest in public 
affairs, and actively participated in politics in the sense of 
being an ardent organizer and worker in all campaigns, local 
and general ; but he never held an office until he was elected 
to Congress eight years ago. 

He addressed himself to his duties as Congressman with 
the same zeal and assiduity which characterized his business 
career. His fidelity to his constituents in the prompt response 
to their letters and immediate attention to their wants and 
wishes was proverbial. In such estimation was he held by 
those whom he represented that there existed throughout his 
district a practical unanimity of sentiment in his renominatious 
and returns to Congress. 

In the maintenance and advocacy of his political convictions 
he was frank and fearless, but his candor was ever united with 
courtesy and due consideration for those who entertained con- 
flicting views. The debates in this Hall have often witnessed 
his ready wit and happy humor. So genial were his manners 
and so cordial his intercourse with his associates, so earnest 
the advocacy of the measures he espoused, that few members 
were more successful in securing legislation they desired. 

It is not, Mr. Speaker, upon this side of the Chamber only 
that the vacant chair will be regarded with sincere regret, 






Address of Mr. Flood, of Virginia. 23 

for he had a place in the kindly esteem and affection of not 
only his personal and political friends here, but of many who 
held variant views from his upon the public questions of the 
day. 

But neither his usefulness and fidelity as a Representative, 
nor his elevated character, nor his gracious and engaging 
manners could avail to ward off that summons which sooner 
or later is inevitable to all. 

It came to him at the consummate hour of his existence. 
His ever rising and ascending life had attained the zenith, 
where his vigorous intellectual powers had reached a ripe 
maturity without as yet the least touch of decline. 

So reluctant, sir, was he to obtrude his personal troubles 
and solicitudes upon others that few of even his closest friends 
were aware that he had for more than a year suffered from 
the malady to which he finally succumbed — succumbed so 
quietly and in such retirement from the gaze of the world 
that the announcement of his death was the first intimation 
that most of his friends and neighbors had that he was in 
a precarious condition. 

While, therefore, Mr. Speaker, his friends were taken 
unawares, he was not. We may believe that often while he 
wore a cheerful exterior to his friends he was wont 

To listen, listen, day by (lav, 

To hear their tread 
Who bear the finished web away, 

And cut the thread. 

His end was comparatively painless, and found him in the 
unclouded possession of his mental faculties. There was no 
long and anxious watching by a bed of suffering; no slow 
decline; no gradual eclipse of the recedinj; world, when 

Unto dying eyes 
The casement slowly yrows a glimmering square. 



24 Life and Character of Peter f. Otey. 

It came as doubtless he would have desired, for it found him 
with his house set in order as for the reception of a friendly 
guest. 

May we, his associates in this Hall, so heed the lessons of 
his life that we shall be in like readiness when the insatiate 
archer shall aim his unerring shaft at us, and that each of us 
may in that supreme hour catch the song of rapt anticipation 
that fell upon the ear of dying Sintram : 

Death comes to set thee free; 
O meet him cheerily 

As thy best friend; 
And all thy fears shall cease, 
And in eternal peace 

Thv sorrows end. 



Address of Mr. Lanham, of Texas. 25 



Address of Mr. Lanham, of Texas. 

Mr. Speaker: There are always some peculiar and leading 
traits of character that mark the lives of mankind, some 
special and distinguishing features of disposition and conduct 
that predominate all others and serve to impress upon their 
associates the personalities of men, and on account of which 
they will always be particularly remembered by those who 
knew them. Frequently, if not always, after the death of our 
fellow-men we attach greater importance and more appropriate 
significance to these peculiar attributes than we do while they 

live. 

It is somewhat strange, but nevertheless true, that we are 
prone to bestow greater credit upon and readier recognition 
of worthy deeds and virtuous characteristics after those who 
exemplified them have passed away. It seems that the due 
and impartial audit is only made up when the subject thereof 
has gone beyond the boundary where human commendation can 
reach. It would be better if we should cheer and strengthen 
one another with our approbation along the journey rather 
than to wait and stay our expression of appreciation until the 
end is reached. 

In the life and conduct of Major Otey there were discovered, 
in conspicuous degree, kindliness of heart, promptness to serve 
his friends and associates, and untiring industry. I believe he 
was the most accommodating member of Congress to his col- 
leagues in the House, in all matters pending before the com- 
mittees upon which he served, of any man I have known in 
this body. He always was ready to give his close personal 
attention, upon request, to the bills and measures in which 



26 Life and Character of Peter J. Otey. 

others were interested, making their business and wishes his 
especial concern. He was never too busy nor self-absorbed to 
be indifferent to or neglectful of the affairs of his fellows. 

He was uniformly polite and obliging; nor did he postpone 
his altruistic care and assistance to suit his own convenience. 
He was a man of usually grave demeanor, but at times the 
genial current of his soul rose high, and often his wit and mer- 
riment refreshed his companions. Who of us does not remem- 
ber the recreation and diversion he afforded us? We all knew 
him well, and he was universally regarded with the kindest 
feeling. It was impossible when thrown into contact with him 
not to like him and be drawn to him. He had a kind word 
and a pleasant manner to everyone within the circle of his 
association. 

We were shocked at the suddenness of his death. He had 
been designated by the Speaker as one of the funeral committee 
to attend the last sad rites of a deceased fellow-Congressman; 
but before he could render this solemn service he, too, was called 
away. We remember the unusual and striking circumstance, 
never before witnessed in the House, when three desks were 
covered with crape and flowers, and one of these was that of 
Major Otey. How mysterious and inscrutable are the ways of 
Providence! How brittle the cord that binds us to life! How 
quick and sharp the ultimate summons cometh! 

We all miss ourdeparted colleague. We all deplore his death. 
His taking off is specially sad to his old comrades. Time and 
death are rapidly decimating the survivors of the awful conflict 
of the sixties in the last century, in which he bore an honorable 
part. The mortuary columns of the daily press are filled with 
the tidings of the passing away of veterans on either side, and 
the period hastens when there will none be left to relate from 
personal experience the story of that terrible struggle. When 
another decade shall have passed, it will be rare, indeed, if at all, 



Address of Mr. Laiiham, of Texas. 27 

to find an ex-Confederate soldier in public life. The rush of 
years and the pressure of later generations are pushing them 
into the shades of retiraey from official stations and life's activi- 
ties, but their transition will not be unnoticed. ' ' They shall 
not go without their fame." 

The Southland can never afford to ignore or subtract from 
its records and history its chivalry and devotion, its sacrifice 
and suffering, its contribution to the upbuilding of its places 
made waste and desolate by war, when the arbitrament of the 
bayonet had determined the issues of the conflict, as exhibited 
in the worth and work of these men of undaunted courage and 
consecration to their convictions of duty. In war and peace 
they have ever been ' ' where only men were wanted and only 
men were found." 

The winning side never lacks for champions; triumph 
insures its own immortality. But the duty remains with those 
of us who yet survive, as it will with our posterity when we 
are all gone, to perpetuate and keep green the memory and 
manhood of the Southern heroes who dedicated their loftiest 
efforts and offered their lives to the cause of liberty and truth, 
as it was given to them to see it. The victories they have 
accomplished in subsequent peace are no less renowned than 
their valor on the field of battle, for they have demonstrated 
the highest qualities of American citizenship, and displayed 
the utmost devotion and energy in the reparation of the woes 
and wounds that ensued the civil war. 

Major OTEY was a gallant soldier. His record in war is 
without blot or blemish. The testimonials of his immediate 
people concerning his merits as a citizen are spontaneous and 
abundant. Those who knew him best, his friends and ueigh- 
bors, before whom he went in and out, and who were familiar 
with his daily walk, are quick to affirm his many virtues. All 
speak well of him, and their mourning over his deatli was uui- 



28 Life and Character of Peter J. Otey. 

versal. The large and sorrowful congregation that attended 
his obsequies attested the great esteem in which he was held 
at his home, while the tribute on that occasion from the pulpit 
to his splendid manhood was highly affirmative of his probity 
and purity of character. 

It may be truthfully said of him that he was a good man, 
faithful in all his public and private relations, upright in his 
deportment, and promptly obedient to every call of duty. 
Whatever may be the limitation of the heritage in this world's 
goods that he has left to his family and descendants, he has 
bestowed upon them the imperishable treasure of his "good 
name, which is better than riches." His career is closed; his 
useful life is ended; he has discharged the last debt which 
all humanity must pay. Let us hope that he is enjoying in 
a brighter, better clime the recompense of "the just made 
perfect." 



Address of Mr. Hay, of Virginia. 29 



Address of Mr. Hay, of Virginia. 

Mr. Speaker: " The paths of glory lead but to the grave;" 
aud yet one who treads those paths with honor to himself leaves 
behind him a name and an example which uplift the aims of 
men and make the world better because he has lived. Peter 
Johnston Otey was such a man. In defense of his country 
he won honors and distinction. His service in the army was 
typical of the man; seeking no high command, having no great 
rank, he yet impressed his personality upon superiors and infe- 
riors alike, and did his duty effectively and with consummate 
gallantry. Beloved and honored by his comrades to the last 
day of his life, he has joined those in the great beyond who 
by his side wrought in that great strife " where the grapes were 
bullets and the wine was blood." 

He was one of those who accepted results, and when the war 
was over put his shoulder to the wheels of enterprise and prog- 
ress. He aided in the upbuilding of the waste places of his 
beloved State, and from 1866 to the hour of his death he 
devoted the energies of his mind and the strength of his being 
to Virginia and Virginia's welfare. In public affairs he took a 
prominent part, and his advice and counsel were sought after by 
the wisest men, not only in Virginia, but in the country. His 
heart was pure, his motives high, and because of these attri- 
butes his influence was widespread and effective. Possessed of 
a loyal heart, other hearts sought and found in him a friend, 
"A very present help in trouble." 

His service in this House was conspicuous for energy, for 
effectiveness in accomplishing results, for untiring efforts in 
behalf of his people, for an undivided attention to the wants of 



30 ' Life and Character of Peter J. Otey. 

his constituents, for unfailing courtesy, and for that upright- 
ness of character which gained for him the sincere confidence 
of his fellow-members on this floor. 

Buoyant in disposition, genial in intercourse, ever ready to 
comply with requests, considerate of all, he was beloved by all. 

His loss to his colleagues from Virginia can never be sup- 
plied. With them he was in peculiar accord. It is no exag- 
geration to say that he was beloved by us all, trusted by us all, 
confided in by us all, looked up to by us all. Virginia has lost 
a devoted son who lived up to her best traditions. He rests in 
her consecrated soil; by the banks of his beloved river, whose 
murmer soothed him in infancy, he sleeps. Virginia will ever 
honor his memory. His name and his fame will be one of her 
precious keepsakes. 



Address of Mr. Morris, of Minnesota. 31 



Address of Mr. Morris, of Minnesota. 

Mr. Speaker: I do not rise for the purpose of pronouncing 
any extended eulogy upon our deceased friend. That has 
already been eloquently done by the members of his State 
delegation who have preceded me. But I think I have known 
Major Otey longer and better perhaps than any member of 
the Virginia delegation, and I do not feel that I can let this 
occasion pass without saying something to show my appre- 
ciation of his many noble traits and his manly and sterling 
character. We were born in the same town, reared in the 
same community, educated at the same school, and for years 
before I went to the State of Minnesota were neighbors and 
friends. 

My father was his father's friend, and it is a great satisfac- 
tion to me to feel that he was my friend. He was one of seven 
brothers who went from our city into the Confederate army, 
and all of whom served with consummate gallantry that cause 
which, whatever may be thought of it now, they believed in, 
and for which they were all ready to, and some of them did, 
give their lives. His brother, Col. Kirk Otey, was brought 
to my father's house in Richmond when he was desperately 
wounded in the bloody battles around that city in 1862, and 
for two generations the most cordial friendship has existed 
between our families. And so I think I can say that I knew 
Major OTEY perhaps better than he was known by any member 
of this House. 

I knew him as brother, husband, father; as a private citizen 
and a public man, and in whatever relation or capacity I knew 



32 Life and Character of Peter J. Otey. 

him he was always the same able, honorable, upright, pure, and 
genial gentleman. Whether as bank cashier, insurance agent, 
railroad president, or member of this honorable body, he was 
always faithful to his obligations and ever punctual and 
attentive to his duties. If there was one characteristic more 
marked in him than any other, it was his capacity for organ- 
ization, his close attention to and mastery of details, and his 
untiring energy in directing and guiding the organization he 
had created. Thus it was that he gained the prominence he 
attained in the community in which he lived, and established 
himself in the confidence of his neighbors. 

Major Otey served with conspicuous gallantry and ability 
throughout the entire civil war, commanding in one of the 
battles the brigade to which he belonged. He was, of course, 
imbued with the prejudices (if they may be so styled) and 
perhaps the hatreds of his people. Certainly he had their 
principles. But when the gallant fight had been made, and 
the war was over, and all was lost save honor, he gracefully 
and honestly and sincerely accepted the result and addressed 
himself to that business career which brought honor to 
him at home, and ended with his distinguished services in 
this House. 

Virginia has produced many sons whose names will stand 
higher on the roll of fame than will that of Major Otey, but 
she never had a son more loyal, more devoted, and more deter- 
mined to serve her with heart and soul. Well might she be 
proud of him. 

Major Otey came of a family able, sincere, brave, chivalrous, 
but no scion of that family was abler, more sincere, braver, 
more chivalrous than he. 

It so happened that we were on opposite sides in politics at 
a time in Virginia when contests were bitter and severe. The 
first time I ever ran for Congress he was the chairman of the 



Address of Mr. Morris, of Minnesota. 33 

committee of the opposite political party, but I never knew or 
heard of his doing anything that might not be expected of an 
honorable opponent, and there was never a time when our 
personal friendship was severed or even strained. 

When I came to this body, I found him here, and I have felt 
during all the time in which we were colleagues that, although 
still on opposite sides politically, there was no man here to 
whom I could go with greater assurance as a friend. 

And so I say that I did not feel that I could let this occa- 
sion pass without bearing my feeble testimony to his in>l>l<- 
and generous character. My sincere sympathy goes out to 
his wife, his children, and his many friends in the community 
where we were born and which he so faithfully represented, and 
I join with them in the belief that he has passed to a brighter 
and happier realm beyond the shadows of this fitful life. Peace 
to his ashes. 

H. Doc. 714 3 



34 Life and Character of Peter f. Otey. 



Address of Mr. Swanson, of Virginia. 

Mr. Speaker: This House has assembled upon this sacred 
Sabbath to pay tribute to our distinguished colleagues who 
recently departed this life. With much eloquence deserved 
tribute has been paid to that eminent son of New York, Amos 
Ctjmmings, whose loss we all deeply deplore. Virginia mingles 
her sorrow with all the rest of the country, and mourns with 
New York in the loss of her great son. 

We, of Virginia, in the death of Maj. Peter J. Otey, have 
sustained a great and irreparable loss, and take this as a fitting 
occasion to pay tribute to his illustrious services and preemi- 
nent virtues. There was no man in public life in Virginia who 
was more universally admired, more highly esteemed, than our 
deceased colleague. His popularity and his friends were not 
confined to his own district or to his own section, but they 
embraced the entire State. 

Major OTEY illustrated in his personal traits of character, in 
his public life and public services, the best developments of 
Virginia character, which in purity, in force, and the best 
elements of humanity have been unsurpassed. He was a fair 
type of those Virginians who, commencing with the majestic 
Washington and ending with the matchless Lee, have made 
resplendent the history of Virginia the world over. His lin- 
eage was of the purest and best in the State. He was a worthy 
descendant of worthy and noted ancestry. He possessed all 
the lofty attributes and high ideals which characterize his 
ancestry. He was brave, truthful, honest, frank, candid, and 
loyal. I never knew a man possessing to a higher degree that 
great virtue which embodies what is known as personal integ- 



Address of Mr. Swanson, of Virginia. 35 

rity and honor. Affable, pleasant, genial, and ehivalric, he 
always possessed a host of friends and admirers. 

A distinguished writer has well said that the brightest jewel 
that can decorate a man is courage, and the brightest jewel that 
can decorate a woman is purity. Courage in man and purity 
in woman have been the two great civilizing forces which 
have enabled mankind to attain its present development and 
progress. No braver heart ever fluttered in man than that 
which pulsated in the breast of Major Otey. 

As a mere youth he rendered distinguished service in the 
late civil war, and many battlefields and rapid promotions gave 
testimony to his courage and superb qualities as a soldier. In 
a business career his honesty, industry, quick aptitude, knowl- 
edge, and attention to business accomplished good results. 
Coming from a war with a fortune which he inherited wasted 
and destroyed, he rapidly built up a successful insurance 
business, and became noted as the most successful banking and 
financial officer of his section. Under great difficulties he 
built and constructed the Lynchburg and Durham Railroad, 
which has been of great benefit and brought great blessings to 
his city and section. He was president of this road and oper- 
ated it with much ability until it was purchased and merged 
into a larger system. 

In the politics of Virginia he has been potential, exerting 
beneficial and a widespread influence in the State. In the 
campaign in Virginia which culminated in the overthrow of 
repudiation and Mahoneism in that State none deserve more 
credit for efficient service than Major Otky. His powers of 
organization, Ins silent and persistent work, his wise counsel 
and leadership constituted a large factor in the victory which 
the Democracy achieved in 1883. He always manifested a 
great interest in public affairs. His party loved and tin 
him fully and completely. 



36 Life ami Character of Peter J. Otey. 

For six years he has represented the State of Virginia upon 
the national Democratic committee, a high honor which his 
party was glad to bestow upon him unanimously, and which he 
held at the time of his death and would have continued to hold 
as long as he lived. He never asked for a public office until 
1894, when he was elected to Congress from the Sixth Congres- 
sional district of Virginia, and which position he held at the 
time of his death and would have continued to hold as long as 
he lived. No Representative from Virginia had the confidence, 
the love, and affection of his constitueuc} - to a greater degree 
than Major Otey. There was no Representative in this body 
more attentive to his duties or discharged his public duties and 
served his constituency more faithfully and patriotically than 
our deceased colleague, and I believe his unfortunate illness and 
death largely resulted from his excessive work and his strict 
attention to the duties of his position. 

The humblest request from the humblest constituent of his 
he treated as a command to be obeyed, and only those who 
have been intimately associated with him realize the amount 
of work he accomplished and the strict and continuous atten- 
tion he paid to the duties of his office. I can say justly that 
I have known no Representative since I have been in Congress 
more faithful, more efficient, and more capable than Major 
Otey. 

He had a strong, clear, masculine mind, which would grasp 
public questions with force and clearness. He knew what 
was right, and his vote and influence were always in that 
direction. No man has ever served in this body whose public 
life was purer and freer from blemish. He was an attractive 
speaker and was always listened to with attention by the 
House. I do not believe there was a member of this House 
who was more highly esteemed, more generally loved and 
liked, than Major Otey. 



Address of Mr. Swanson, of Virginia. 37 

During the last years of his service in this House I had 
the pleasure of being his desk mate. During this time he 
was possessed of a fatal illness which he knew ultimately 
must terminate seriously, yet none would ever have judged 
this from his conduct or manner. He was always cheerful. 
buoyant, bright and sunshiny, manly, courageous, active, and 
energetic to the end. Nothing has more impressed me than 
to see this, knowing, as I did, his serious illness. It exhibited 
far more than any language I possess can express his brave, 
courageous heart, his firm will, and energetic determination. 

Thackeray, in his great novel Vanity Fair, has well said 
that the world is a looking-glass and gives back to every 
man the reflection of his own face. If he smiles upon it, it 
smiles upon him; if he loves it, it loves him, invariably 
mirroring back a true picture of the man presented. Thi^ is 
a profound truth which is illustrated fully in the life and 
death of our distinguished friend. He loved the world and 
its people, and it showered him with its esteem and affection. 
He smiled upon the world with bright smiles, and it met 
him with smiles and friends. He treated the world well, 
honestly, and fairly, and it gave him its esteem, its regard, 
confidence, and affection. 

When I went to Lynchburg to his burial services I was 
deeply impressed with this great truth; from all portions of 
his district and State people came to pay tribute to his worth 
ami virtue. In his home city all business was suspended, and 
it seemed as if every person of that city felt that they had 
experienced a personal los^. 

Such are the rewards which await manly, honorable, and 
pure lives such as was led by our late colleagui He dis 
charged the duties and performed all the obligations of his 
life courageously and completely. 



3 8 Life and Character of Peter f. Otey. 

A more devoted husband never lived. His wife was his 
constant companion, and participated in all of his work, shared 
all of his joys and disappointments, and divided with him the 
work and toil incident to his office. Nothing has ever touched 
me more or furnished me more eloquent proof of Major Otey's 
high qualities of mind and heart than the sweet, lasting inti- 
macy and affection between himself and wife. He loved to a 
passionate degree his children and grandchildren, which they 
returned with deep intensity and esteem. He was loved and 
esteemed by his neighbors, his colleagues in Congress, his 
State, and by all who were brought in contact with him. 

His life constitutes a life of success; one of many achieve- 
ments; one deserving of great commendation; one which 
should be imitated, and one whose influence must be lasting 
and beneficial. Such a life constitutes a rich heritage and 
solace to his family and friends, adds additional luster to his 
State, and furnishes an example worthy to be followed by 
those possessed of the responsibilities of a public life. 



Address of Mr. De Armond, of Missouri. 39 



Address of Mr. De Armond, of Missouri. 

Mr. Speaker: The great question in life respecting any 

of us is not so much who our ancestors were as what we 
are and what we do. It is true, nevertheless, that what we 
are and what we do and what we may do depends very largely 
upon the inheritance of birth. Those who come of good 
ancestry, who trace their line through heroic stock, who track 
back through good lives, have a better assurance, enter life 
with a better promise of success, than those who come in less 
kindly endowed by nature. And yet nature has a way of 
her own of gathering up through the years and through all 
conditions, good and bad, sifting and assorting, and from time 
to time, from sources unpretentious and unpromising, com- 
bining happily the elements which make the very best and 
the very highest of human kind. 

The friend to whose memory we pay tribute this day was 
happy in that his ancestry was historic and of excellent 
quality. He inherited from both his mother and his father 
qualities which are best expressed and best summarized in 
the one phrase which has become historic. He came from 
a line of Virginia gentlemen, and he was himsclt worthy of 
that line and a typical "Virginia gentleman." 

He was hardly more than a boy when the war broke out. 
Fresh from the Virginia Military Institute, just a little while 
awa) from the schoolbooks and discipline of that institution, 
just a little while abroad in the work of men. when the tocsin 
of war sounded and the great crisis in the history of our country 
and in the history of so mam of our people individually was 



40 Life a?id Character of Peter J. Otey. 

upon him and upon all. In retrospect we certainly can not 
wonder that Major Otey took precisely the course which he 
did take. Youthful as he was, of course he had never thought 
or read or speculated deeply upon the general questions of seces- 
sion and of States' rights or of national power and of national 
rights. 

He had the education of a soldier. There had been instilled 
into him for four years the elements necessary to make an offi- 
cer, and to them he had added, by way of inheritance, patriot- 
ism and an intense love of home and of old Virginia. To him 
the war meant invasion, as it did to so many others; to his 
ardent soul risk and danger, destruction and death, threatened, 
impended, unless resistance could be effective, to all that was 
worth preserving, to all that he loved. When the note of 
preparation for invasion came from over the border, and when 
later the tread of armed men was heard echoing over the hills 
and along the valleys and by the streams of old Virginia, he 
and others like him stopped not to reason or to speculate. 

They had no time for abstractions. The concrete and only 
question of the day was upon them. Otey, with his brothers, 
seven in all — what a heroic family it must have been — cast his 
lot with his own people, in his own land, with his neighbors, 
with his friends, with the citizenship and the chivalry of Vir- 
ginia, and stood for the home that he loved against the force 
that menaced it. 

Well he bore his part in the dreadful conflicts of four 3-ears. 
He did it, as did his illustrious chieftain, the great leader of 
the armies of the South, without bitterness, without malevo- 
lence, without envy, without feeling of enmity toward any 
individual or force engaged in warfare upon the other side. 
He simply followed the course of duty as he saw it; fought 
without a desire to inflict wanton injury, but with the intent 
and desire to protect, to shield, to save. 



Address of Mr. Dc Armond, of Missouri. 41 

Coming through the war, this sunny-hearted and brave- 
spirited, kindly, just, aud broad-minded man, after the field 
had been swept with the storm of shot and shell, aud after 
hundreds and thousands of the bravest and best of the North 
and South and of the world had perished, when the blessings 
of peace came, no reconstruction was needed either in the 
genial heart or mind or life of our friend. 

Genial and kindly, noble and magnanimous, brave and chiv- 
alrous, through the storm of battle he carried to the dawn of 
peace and the struggles of life beyond it those sterling qualities 
which did not need development, having been inherited and 
developed in stern practice in the life which he led fighting for 
Virginia and for home when Virginia and home were menaced. 
He filled life with charity and a great desire to do good. 

Loving home and Virginia, his love grew aud expanded until 
it embraced all the people of the Union — North and South, 
East and West — whether great or lowly, soldier or civilian, 
rich or poor. Aye, it extended even beyond the confines of 
country and the line of fellow-citizenship; it embraced the 
whole world. He was a man who went through life without 
desire to do harm to any, without a feeling of malevolence 
toward any, and with an ever present, pulsating desire to do 
good to all with whom he came in contact. 

Xo wonder that this man was well beloved. No wonder 
that he had friends by the score, by the hundreds, by the 
thousands, and perhaps not a solitar} enemy, for he did unto 
no man anything on account of which he could be his enemy. 
He was so broad minded and kindly that nobody could find 
in his life anything upon which enmity could fasten. So 
we find him throughout life a model character, manly and 
humane, sweet and charitable, industrious, painstaking, cheer- 
fully helpful to all. 



42 Life and Character of Peter f. Otey. 

We did not know it then — we know it now — that our friend 
was for weeks before his death really and sorely afflicted. He 
knew, as has been remarked in these eulogies, that the mark 
of death was set upon him. He knew that it would not be 
many weeks, months, or years until he would be gathered to 
his fathers; but he made it known to none. He made no 
complaint. To the end he was cheery and helpful, industrious 
and patient. While awaiting the end he forgot not the duties 
which lay between him and dissolution; he forgot not the 
duties of the hour; but, taxing his waning strength, he dis- 
charged those duties with the same degree of cheerfulness, 
with the same disposition to be helpful and kindly, as in the 
very prime and flush and strength of life. 

He appeared to be a man exceedingly free from worry and 
care. Having no designs that had to be pursued by furtive 
means, no ends to be accomplished except in direct and honor- 
able ways, he lived in the light, loving and greatly enjoying 
the fellowship and communion of kindred spirits. 

In the three terms he served in Congress, during which time 
I also was a member, so far as I recollect, I never noticed 
upon his brow the evidence of care; I never saw by his bearing 
that the hand of trouble was upon him, except, I think, as I 
now recall it, during the time shortly preceding his death. 

Being of an exceedingly affectionate nature, he was loyalty 
itself, ever true and faithful to friends. He came to regard, 
and did regard, everybody in his Congressional district, so far 
as he could help him or advance him, as being peculiarly under 
his protection, and having the right to call upon him in every 
hour of need. He was ever ready to do for the humblest as 
well as the mightiest whatever he might do, whatever the 
necessities might require or suggest. 

He looked upon his constituents much as a father looks upon 
his children. He had an affection for them. He could not 



Address of Mr. De Armond, of Missouri. 43 

think with patience or satisfaction of the possibility of loosing 
them from that care and that protection and that helpfulness 
which he might extend to them as their Representative in 
Congress. 

Thus it was that during the time when there was pending 
in his own State legislation with reference to redisricting I 
thought — and I believe others who observed him and who 
enjoyed friendship and communion with him also thought, 
because the signs were quite evident— that he was disturbed 
more than we ever before knew him to lie; not so much 
because there was danger of his losing his seat in Congress 
by the redisricting, which might leave him among strangers, 
but primarily because he might, by reason of the change in 
Congressional districts, be forced to part with friends who had 
elected him to office and whom he had served, forced to part 
even from those who had tried to defeat him for office, all of 
whom he had served as the Representative in Congress of all 
the people. 

I am satisfied that this weighed upon him. and, added to the 
infirmities which were already accumulating too thick on his 
devoted head, really tended to hasten the end. He felt some- 
how that to lose out of his district any of the counties which 
constituted the territory which sent him to Congress, and which 
he had represented so well and striven so faithfully to serve, 
would be something in the nature of a personal loss, a severing 
of the ties of friendship. A redistricting which tore up his dis- 
trict and scattered the fragments seemed to him like taking 
away from him those to whom he was attached, and in the even- 
ing of life, with his infirmities heavy upon him, leaving him to 
form new ties and new relationships, personal and political. 

But even these things, these cares that pressed upon his life 
here, that disturbed him— for he felt that without fault of his a 
sale district was likely to be changed into a doubtful one— did 



44 Life and Character of Peter f. Otev. 

not harass him so much because of what he might lose as 
because the redisricting- tended to break up the associations so 
happy to him and so much cherished by him. This worry, 
making common cause with the bodily ills which he suffered, 
broke him down and, I fear, carried him off both suddenly and 
prematurely. 

We were all very much shocked when the news came that 
Major Otey was dead. We had not observed that he was fail- 
ing. We had not observed that there was less strength day by 
day for some time. He was so cheery, the soul of good humor, 
the very essence of good fellowship, the very personification of 
helpfulness, that we could not realize, and we did not realize, 
that our friend was soon to pass away; and so when the news 
came, it came with all the force of a shock. As we learned 
the details, we knew that he had been different from what we 
saw him only for a few days. Decay had progressed just a 
little farther, and he was unable to move about in his accus- 
tomed ways. The struggle was short, and the old soldier was 
found prepared for the death which he had faced upon many 
a field without flinching. 

I have often thought what a spectacle that is — the peaceful 
death, the body dying first, consciousness remaining clear to 
the end. How helpful it might be if one, without himself 
dying, could realize and experience what their is in the mind 
of a well-constituted man, such as Major Otkv was, when the 
shadows lengthen, when the final stroke is near, when the 
inevitable hour has almost struck, when the sands of life are 
running, running, almost run out, when there is in the ears 
the sound of the wash of the waters of the mystic river which 
all must cross, in the full possession of his faculties, with all 
the joys of earth about him, but fading fast, finally fading, 
with friends and relatives gathered at his bedside — what a feel- 
ing it must be, what an experience! But we all must take the 



Address of Mr. De Armond, of Missouri. 45 

journey alone, and no one can relate the experience to another, 
and no one can taste its fruit except he himself pluck them as 
the final act of life here and the initial act of life beyond. 

But speculations about these things, however seductive they 
are and however we are drawn to them, drawn to them time 
after time as the grave opens for one after another of our 
friends, are ever speculations which lead simply to more specu- 
lations and which only can be answered finally and demon- 
strated as to their truthfulness or the fact that they are baseless 
by our own experience. 

It is worth while, however, as we pass along through life, 
with all its trials and its triumphs, with all its good deeds and 
its bad deeds, sometimes satisfied with what we do and at other 
times greatly dissatisfied, sometimes pleased with what our 
friends or our neighbors or our fellow-citizens or fellow-beings 
in the great human band do, sometimes dissatisfied, sometimes 
displeased, sometimes with the aid of others trying to accom- 
plish what we regard as great and good, sometimes exerting 
our best energies, drawing all the force and all the will and all 
the power that we can command into the work of overcoming 
or even destroying those of our kind who do not think or see as 
we do, it is well in all these varying and trying experiences of 
life, in all its peace and happiness, with all its failures and all 
its successes, when we can recur to and dwell upon a life like 
that of our friend. Here was a man who discharged his duty 
void of offense. Here was a man forceful, but who never 
found it necessary to draw on his powers to the injury of 
anyone — who wounded none. 

Eulogy often is meaningless exaggeration; eulogy often is 
worthless, because there is no symmetry about it and no 
regard for facts or fitness in it; but we are speaking to-day 
of a man who was among the noblest of his kind, a man who 
possessed in high degree, unadulterated and undefiled, many 



46 Life a?id Character of Peter J. Otcy. 

of the grandest elements found in human nature. All who 
knew him, all who enjoyed the pleasure and profit of his 
friendship, all who were placed by association with him, can 
recollect him with pleasure, and we can, if it be possible for us 
to do so, model our own lives and direct our own conduct, in 
some particulars at least, by the example that he has left us. 
We speak to-day of a departed friend of whom high praise 
is but justice, whose life may be commended without fulsome 
eulogy, and whose death may be mourned without feigned 
sorrow. 



Address of Mr. Rhea, of Virginia. 47 



Address of Mr. Rhea, of Virginia, 

Mr. Speaker: The life, character, and virtues of Major Otey 
have been so fully, justly, and vividly portrayed by others, that 
it only remains for me to say a few words in paying a humble 
tribute to the late Representative of the Sixth Virginia district. 

I had known Major Otey for several years, and he was one 
of the most lovable men I ever met. He was as tender and 
gentle as a woman. He had endeared himself to the people of 
his district by his ability and integrity, his strict devotion to 
duty, his indomitable energy, and his genial disposition. 

I have never known a man more unselfish, or who took 
greater pride or seemed happier in serving others. He was not 
a man to promise everything and do nothing. He was essen- 
tially a man who did things. He never procrastinated. He 
would not say, "Wait until to-morrow or next week," but 
now was always the accepted time with him. 

Just a few days before his fatal illness I went to him and 
told him I was anxious to get a bill reported by a committee 
of which he was a member, and he said, " I will attend to it 
at once," and the bill was reported that day, 

It seemed to be a pleasure for him to aid others, and Ik- was, 
in my judgment, not only for the country at large, but espe- 
cially for the people of his district, oik- of the most valuable, 
efficient, and patriotic Representatives who ever occupied a seat 
upon this floor. 

Mr. Speaker, I do not believe I could pay a mole fitting "i 
tim-i tribute to the memory of our beloved friend than to use 
his own words spoken by him in this House on March J4, [900, 
in paying a tribute to Hon. Sydney 1'. Epes. His words were 



48 Life and Character of Peter f. Otey. 

not only true of the life and character of our lamented friend 
Sydney Epes, but how especially applicable they are to his own 
life and character will be readily seen by all who knew him. 
Major Otey on that occasion said: 

Mr. Speaker, it has been truly said that the crown and glory of life is 
character. It is the noblest possession of man, constituting a rank in 
itself and an estate in the general good will, dignifying every station and 
exalting everv position in society, wielding greater power than wealth and 
achieving honor without the petty bickering and jealousies attending 
fame. 

Sydney P. Epes possessed character which carried with it irresistible 
power— strong to do good, no less strong to resist evil. Integrity of word 
and deed was his backbone, and truth and sincerity formed the essence of 
his manly nature that gave a loyalty to "virtue which served her without 
livery." 

He cultivated the habit of happy thought, and his genial spirit and 
charming temper were as "timid violets with their richest fragrance 
unaware," yet filling the surroundings with wonderful sweetness. His 
graceful demeanor toward all was a constant source of pleasure, and his 
gentleness was like the silent influence of light, giving color to the envi- 
ronments. His bearing toward superiors or inferiors, high or low, the 
humble or the lofty, was marked in his respect alike for all. 

Good manners gilded his every action, and in speaking a kind word and 
in doing a kind thing he always enhanced their value. 

He was a gentleman in its largest sense, a dignity in itself, commanding 
the homage and respect of ever} 7 generous mind. 

He adorned every station in life to which he was called, depending not 
on fashion, but on moral worth; not on personal possessions, but on 
personal qualities. 

His law- was rectitude of purpose; his standard, probity of word and 
deed; his motto, virtue. 

He was a poor man in this world's goods, but rich in all the elements 
that go to fashion the most elevated models of human kind. The words 
"nature's nobleman" were stamped on the model which formed him. 

Frank and open, he despised deceit, and he held honor and virtue as 
beloved twin sisters, not to be hurt if assailed, not to be enthralled if 
surprised. 

He was a friend, yes, a true friend, whose counsel was not based on 
flattery, neither was it crooked by selfish ends. 

His friendship, perfectly sincere, unselfish, and pure, was a treasure to 
those possessing it. It was in no sense an obligation to be met; it had no 
day of maturity, no days of grace; it bore no interest. No demand for 
payment, no value received, was written across its face. It was payable 
never. It was the possessor's to use when ami where deemed proper. It 



Address of Mr. Rhea, of Virginia. 49 

was too lofty to serve an ignoble purpose, and, like the forest oak, it 
grew more and more deeply rooted as time wore on. 

His benevolence and charity were the children of his generositv. and 
his candle threw its penetrating beams into the dark recesses of the 
countless homes of the poor, whose tears mingle with ours at his 
untimely end. The "prayer of want and the plaint of woe" always 
touched his generous heart. We are all better for having known Sydney 
P. Epes, and the world is better for his having lived in it. 

Truth was to him as a pearl, that showed best in the light of open day 
and needed no artifice to disclose its purity. He had no patience with 
the semblance of delusion that tampered with it. He had lofty ambition 
and achieved distinguished honor, but was ever free from the canker, 
envy, in his efforts to excel. 

In his death he exemplified the life described by the Psalmist as one — 

"That walketh uprightly, and worketh righteously, and speaketh the 
truth in his heart." 

It is my sad privilege to plant a flower on his grave, watered with the 
tears of memory, and thus to pay my last tribute to him whose death 
was the crown of a useful life. 

Peter J. Otev was a noble son of the Old Dominion. 

He served her well and faithfully in war and in peace. 

In his death the country has lost a patriotic servant; his 
State a loyal and devoted son, and his district an ideal 
Representative. 

H. Doc. 714 4 



50 Life and Character of Peter J. Otey. 



ADDRESS OF MR. MCCALL, OF MASSACHUSETTS. 

Mr. Speaker: Peter J. Otey was a rare spirit. Compared 
with some careers, his term of service in this House was not 
a long one. He took much less of its time in debate than 
his abilities fairly entitled him to claim, and yet he spoke 
enough to reveal himself to those of the members who did not 
know him personally well. The prime quality of his speaking 
was the rich, wholesome, and thoroughly American humor 
with which he delighted the House. That is a quality which 
no bad man can possess. It is the shining of the kindly 
and benignant light of a good spirit. 

I knew him also in his relation to the Virginia Military 
■ Institute, of which he was a proud and devoted graduate, and 
for which he cherished a loyal affection. He was a genial, 
chivalric gentleman, such a man as would be sure to command 
the love of his friends. The esteem in which his neighbors 
held him was shown by the tenderness of the last tributes 
paid his memory in the beautiful city in which he had lived. 
Upon the faces of the thronging crowds was the sadness of 
a personal grief, and the presence of so many of the splendid 
heroes of the Southern armies attested their sorrow over the 
loss of an old comrade, who bore upon his body the scars of 
the tremendous struggle in which they had so bravely taken 
part. His capacity for rendering loyal and efficient public 
service was gratefully recognized by his constituency, and the 
Representatives of the State of Virginia have to-day borne 
fitting witness to the hold he had upon the people he repre- 



Address of Mr. McCall, of Massachusetts. 51 

sented. Those whose fortune it was to know him long and 
intimately have spoken more fully of his character and life. 
I only rise to mingle my voice with theirs, to express my keen 
sense of personal loss, and to add my personal tribute to the 
memory of our friend whose noble qualities will long be 
held in affectionate remembrance. 



52 Life and Character of Peter J. Otey. 



Address of Mr. Rixey, of Virginia. 

Mr. Speaker: Major Otey was more than a colleague — he 
was a friend. Preceding me to the House of Representatives, 
where I met him for the first time, our acquaintance ripened 
into esteem, confidence, and friendship. He was of a lovable 
nature, and made friends with all with whom he came in con- 
tact. A Confederate soldier, he had the pleasure of count- 
ing among his warmest friends the honored Speaker of the 
House of Representatives and many others who, like him. had 
fought upon the Union side in the great conflict between the 
States. 

Educated at the Virginia Military Institute, he early re- 
sponded to the call to arms and served with distinguished 
gallantry throughout the great civil strife, and during the 
remainder of his life carried on and in his bod}- not only the 
scars, but the bullets received upon the field of honor. Upon 
the return of peace he engaged in business enterprises; and in 
railroad, banking, and insurance proved himself a capable, 
thorough, and successful business man. Unlike many of the 
successful business men of the present clay, he amassed no 
fortune, hut left to his friends and relatives a prouder herit- 
age — that of a life well spent; brave, honest, capable — that of 
a patriot and a statesman. He believed in fair dealing and 
loved the right; and. undimmed by any shadow, the example 
of his life still lives in undiminished luster in the memory of a 
life well spent in public and private stations. He possessed in 
an eminent degree not only the affections of the people of his 
district, but the esteem and confidence of his State and 



Address of Mr. Rixey, of Virginia. 53 

party, and for some years prior to his death was the Virginia 
member of the national Democratic committee. 

Not a professional man, and yet not a man of wealth, he was 
selected by his fellow-countrymen to represent them in the 
Fifty-fourth Congress. To those who knew Major Otev this 
was not surprising. Genial and approachable, he had, in every 
walk of life, under the most trying and perilous circumstances, 
been proven loyal to his State, true in his friendships, and 
absolutely incorruptible and unimpeachable in all of the trans- 
actions of life — the best type of the American patriot. 

After his first election to the House of Representatives there 
was never any question as to his successor. Though elected 
four times, he never had au opponent for the nomination after 
the first contest. His service was so acceptable that he was 
truly a Representative for life. 

He was justly proud of his hold upon the affections of his 
people, and we well remember the pain and anguish the prob- 
ability of a division of his district caused him. He plunged 
into the contest with all and more than his accustomed energy — 
bent on preventing, if possible, the dismemberment of his 
beloved district. No people ever had a more faithful Repre- 
sentative. Xo Representative ever had a more appreciative 
and, I might say, affectionate constituency. 

On the eve of a renomination without opposition, in the city 
and house where he was born, he laid down his life peacefully, 
quietly, bravely. The end was not wholly unexpected. We 
who knew him intimately knew that he did nut look forward to 
.1 long lite He expressed no vain regrets as to his condition, 
but conscientiously discharged his duty to the last. 

I believe his end was as he would have chosen. In the full 
possession of Ins faculties, with but few hours of pain; in the 
presence of his beloved wife, who hail shared his joys and sor- 
rows, who had been in very truth his life partner, his helpmate, 



54 Life and Character of Peter f. Otey. 

his beloved on whom he leaned for comfort, encouragement, 
courage, and support, and she was all; surrounded by his chil- 
dren, of whom he was ever proud, and of whom he took delight 
in talking to his intimate friends; in the house of his fathers, 
he gave back to his Maker, as peacefully and calmly as the sun- 
light fades from the sky, the life he had received. It was the 
"gathering of ripened fruit." 

The telegram announcing his death was a great shock. The 
House was already in mourning for Hon. A. J. Cummings, a 
distinguished member from New York, to whose eulogies we 
have just listened, and scarcely were the badges of mourning 
placed upon our colleague's desk before we were startled by the 
announcement that another, and this time the Hon. Joshua S. 
Salmon, an honored Representative from the State of New Jer- 
sey, had, even while he appeared in the most robust health, 
been "touched by the finger of God and slept." 

On a beautiful May day, surrounded by his old comrades in 
arms, by a multitude of his fellow-citizens from all the ranks 
and walks of life, by a delegation of his colleagues of the House 
of Representatives and from the Senate of the United States, 
nad by the governor of his Commonwealth, to the sweet strains 
of the beautiful hymn — 

Beyond the sunset's glow- 
There is a brighter world I know, 

we laid him to rest in the beautiful cemetery of his best-loved 
city and State, at the base of the great Blue Ridge Mountains, 
which lift their peaks into the very clouds, as if to fathom the 
unexplored beyond. 

There is a resurrection and a life beyond the sunset's glow, 
and we who knew our friend believe that he will live with his 
beloved, where mansions are prepared for those who have lived 
lives of kindness, honesty, and truth, and who love the Lord. 



Address of Mr. Graff, of Illinois. 55 



Address of Mr. Graff, of Illinois. 

Mr. Speaker: I feel it my duty to pay a brief, modest, and 
informal tribute to the memory of Hon. Peter J. Otey. Dur- 
ing the past three sessions of Congress it has been my pleasure 
to be quite intimately associated with him. He was a member 
of the Committee on Claims of the House, of which I hap- 
pened to be chairman. During the last session of Congress he 
was associated with me on the subcommittee, where we were 
engaged almost daily in mutual work. It was this committee 
where was done most of his laborious committee work. 

I owe it to Peter J. Otey that I pay tribute to his memory, 
because I feel indebted to him. I feel that I have obtained 
benefit because of the personal contact with him which was my 
privilege during the past two years. 

After all, a human life preaches the most forceful sermon. 
Deeds are more forceful than words, but character is more 
forceful than either. After all, it is not what we accomplish, 
but it is what we are, that is important. Accomplishment may 
depend upon the accident of opportunity, but character depends 
upon ourselves. Pktkk J. Otky lived a life of integrity, 
benevolence, charity, industry, and patriotism, and thus taught 
these virtues and made them attractive to others. 

Two members of the House of Representatives who have 
passed away during this session were members of the Com- 
mittee on Claims. One of those was Representative Otey, 
and the other Representative Salmon. It is a matter of self- 
congratulation that in both these men were found most gentle 
qualities of heart and most thorough and most manly qualities 
of mind. 



56 Life and Character of Peter J. Otey. 

On May 5, the day after Major Otey's death, the Committee 
on Claims assembled, as they had been called together with 
the expectation of performing- the ordinary work of the day, 
and passed these resolutions: 

The Committee on Claims have heard with profound sorrow of the 
death of the Hon. Peter Johnston Otey, of Virginia, who for several 
terms was a faithful and efficient member of this committee: Therefore, 

Be it resolved by the Committee on Claims of the House of Representa- 
tives, That in the death of the Hon. Peter J. Otey, a Representative 
from the State of Virginia, the Committee on Claims have suffered a 
great loss in being deprived of the valuable services of Jlr. OTEY as a 
member of the committee, and sincerely testify to his generous spirit, 
integrity, unflagging industry, and ability, and that the members of this 
committee individually all feel that they have lost in him a friend and a 
liberal, broad-minded coworker. 

Be it resolved, as a further mart; of respect, That the committee do 
now adjourn, and that these resolutions be spread upon the records of 
this committee, and a copy thereof be transmitted to the family of the 
deceased. 

I was reared in a Union soldier's home, from which a father 
and two brothers went forth on the Federal side to battle for 
the preservation of the Union. 

Prior to my experience in this House, beginning with the 
Fifty-fourth Congress, I had no knowledge of Southern life or 
Southern character save that obtained by reading. My own 
experience had brought with me only those things which would 
conduce to a prejudice against Southern life, Southern charac- 
ter, and Southern aspirations. I little dreamed eight years ago 
that I would find myself delivering a sincere eulogy to an ex- 
Confederate soldier during my service here. Without yielding 
any of my own convictions of the measures of the period of the 
war of the rebellion, I feel that I have somewhat altered my 
views of the men of that period who were then against us. I 
believe Mr. Otey to have been a fair example of the high type 
of that portion of American life which descended from the 
Cavaliers. I feel proud of this departed friend who was born 



Address of Mr. Graft, of Illinois. 57 

and continued to live until his death in the great State of Vir- 
ginia — who performed his duty as he saw it. 

His life stretched from 1S40 to 1902, covering a most impor- 
tant epoch in our history. He was rich in reminiscences, and 
oftentimes before the committee had commenced its labors he 
was in the habit of giving us various experiences of army life. 
Through it all there was not even a suggestion of resentfulness 
against the victorious, nor was there ever a suggestion of regret 
of any attitude that he had taken in the great war. There was 
never a suggestion of the thought that he was wrong in his 
battle for the Southern cause, but there was a recognition of 
the fact that the victory came to the Federal side, and with that 
victory he proposed to contribute all of his influence and all the 
force of his character to make that victory for the good of his 
country. Under the new conditions he took his place to do the 
best he could for his country. 

He was an optimist. He was not addicted to looking on the 
blue side and the gloomy side of life. Hu hoped for the best. 
He believed that men were honest. He was slow to believe 
that they were otherwise, and hence in making up his opinion 
concerning the many claims which pressed upon us for solution 
and adjudication if he had any disposition to err it was upon 
the side of believing that there was no wrong in particular 
claims which were presented to us. 

Another weakness that he had was that of a noble man, and 
that weakness was on the side of generosity. If he believed 
that the claim presented was from one who needed the money, 
one who had a hard battle in life with which to contend, his 
disposition was to vote in the affirmative, on the theory that it 
he erred m his decisions upon the committee it was better to err 
on the side of the weaker rather than on the side of the great, 
strong, wealthy Government. 



58 Life a?id Character of Peter f. Otey. 

Therefore I feel gratified that on this occasion, through 
these memorial addresses, delineating correctly and truthfully 
the life of Peter J. Otey, the country may get a better 
notion of the level of character and morality which pervades 
this House. My own experience for the past eight years 
has led me to believe that the vast majority of the members 
who come here give to their duties the very best of their 
service, the very best of their ability and of conscientious 
effort; and that upon both sides of the House, contrary to 
opinions which erroneously prevail, perhaps, all over the 
country, or in different sections, the great majority of the 
business done by this House is not transacted in a partisan 
way, and it is only upon strictly partisan questions that we 
range upon the one side and the other at the bidding of party. 
For the most part the great bulk of the business transacted by 
this body is transacted from the standpoint of the patriot, of 
the representative of all the people; and hence the needs of 
every section will be faithfully responded to, no matter what 
party shall prevail, in the majority of our deliberations. 

Major Otey believed in his fellow-man. He loved his kind. 
As has been stated, there is probably not another member of 
this House who has done so many things for his associates in 
the way of service on his committee as has been done in the 
past year and a half by Peter J. Otey. 

He always looked, as I said, for a better aay out of the 
gloom; and may we trust, may we feel justified by his lift-, 
that he to-day has entered into a better day— into an eternal 
morning. 



Address of Mr. William W. Kitchin, of North Carolina. 59 



Address of Mr. William W. Kitchin, of North 
Carolina. 

Mr. Speaker: Just a word, for I am sure I can add nothing 
to the splendid eulogies which have already been spoken 
upon the life and character of our deceased friend. I feel, 
however, that I could not let this occasion pass without paying 
some slight tribute to his worth. 

In 1865 my father and Major Otey were friends and fellow- 
prisoners of war at Fort Delaware. That of itself would 
have attracted me to Major OTEY. He was one of the few 
men in Congress whom I knew before I came here, having 
known him for eight years before I was elected to the Fifty- 
fifth Congress. 

He was a civil engineer, a brave and gallant Confederate 
soldier, a banker, and a practical railroad man before he 
entered public life, and became distinguished in each business 
he had pursued. The greatest material monument to his 
energy and wisdom is the Lynchburg and Durham Railroad, 
now a part of the Norfolk and Western system, running 
through my county. To him more than to anyone else was 
the construction of that road due. The entire people of the 
good country opened up by that road will cherish his memory 
with profound appreciation of the great service he rendered 
them in the building of that line of railway. 

My district in North Carolina adjoins his district in Virginia. 
In my own county and district Major Otky had many personal 
friends, attached to him by strong ties of great regard and 
happy association. I have had many opportunities of knowing 
the high esteem, the warm affection, and the loyal confidence 



60 Life and Character of Peter f. Otey. 

freely given to him by his large constituency. I believe that 
no man in this body was in closer touch with the people of his 
district than was our deceased friend. 

Before his election to Congress he had been chairman of his 
Congressional executive committee, and in that capacity had 
come to know personally the great majority of the influential 
men in the various neighborhoods of his district. After his 
election, in my judgment he gave as much of his personal 
attention to the needs, the correspondence, and the little mat- 
ters of business intrusted to his care by his constituents as any 
man in this House. I can add my testimony to that of his 
colleagues who have already spoken, that in all this body no 
man was more diligent or attentive to business than he. He 
was in truth a good, a splendid Representative, and deserved 
the plaudit from his people, "Well done, thou good and faith- 
ful servant." 

As a man, he was candid, courageous, honest, full of sym- 
pathy and humanity; just such a man as one delights to honor 
and rejoices to call his friend. He carried sunshine and 
happiness, comfort and encouragement to those who sought 
his counsel. As a friend, he was loyal and true; as a husband 
and father, kind, considerate, and devoted. We have missed 
him. We shall miss him. No one is more conscious than 
myself of the inadequacy of words to fitly portray this man's 
life and character. I shall not attempt it. Words can not 
compensate for his loss, but in his life — honest, manly, candid, 
energetic, and faithful — we find much consolation and regard 
it as an inspiration to struggling men, teaching them the 
lessons of fidelity, industry, ability, integrity, and kindness. 
The inevitable mystery has borne him from us, as it will here- 
after bear us from others, and we must submit. We shall 
cherish his virtues. His memory will always he pleasant 
to us. Peace to his ashes — joy to his soul. 



Address of Mr. Lamb, of Virginia. 61 



Address of Mr. Lamb, of Virginia. 

Mr. Speaker: In the quiet of this Sabbath day we turn 
from the arduous duties of life to the contemplation of 

death. 

How inexorable is death! "All that live must die, passing 
through nature to eternity." How intrusive is death! There 
is no age nor condition into which it will not intrude its 
presence. Since these ceremonies begun it has entered the 
homes of thousands. The humble and the great, the rich and 
poor, alike fall before this enemy of mankind. There is no 
escape from the grim monster. Vain man in pride declares, 
' ' I will build me larger barns wherein to store my goods. ' ' A 
voice in deep and solemn tones replies: "Thou fool, this night 
shall thy soul be required of thee." A dreamer sees in the 
dark an ill-omened bird perched upon his chamber door, and to 
his imprecations he hears but one response— ■" Nevermore! " 
' ' Nevermore ! ' ' 

So there is a spirit which haunts us night and day, in toil 
or sport, in sunshine or sorrow, in sin or in righteousness, 
evermore repeating this warning: 

Vain man, thy fond pursuits forebear; 

Repent, thy end i-- nigh. 
Death, at the furthest, can't hv far, 

O! think before thou die. 

How dreadful is death! "All we know or dream or fear 
of agony" is embodied in death. The youngest of us may, 
the oldest of us must, soon be ushered into the unknown 
world from whence come no tidings of those who have gone 
before. 



62 Life and Character of Peter f. Otty. 

Nature, experience, conscience, all sound in our ears the 
melancholy truth, 

To die — to sleep. 
To sleep! perchance to dream: ay! there's the rub, 
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, 
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, 
Must give us pause. 

The numerous deaths in this and the two previous Con- 
gresses — three from my own State, Virginia — emphasize these 
sorrowful but suggestive utterances: "In the midst of life 
we are in death;" "Man that is born of woman is of few 
days and full of trouble;" "He cometh forth like a flower, 
and is cut down; he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth 
not. ' ' 

The last summons came unexpectedly to our friend and col- 
league, though possibly not without warning to himself. Only 
the day before he left this city, seeking rest and quiet at his 
home in Lynchburg, I sat by him in this House talking over 
some matters that had recently given him much concern. 
When I asked after his health and expressed the hope that he 
would soon be with us again, he laid his hand over his heart 
and remarked: "There is something wrong here; I can not 
tell what will be the result." In a few days the wires flashed 
to us the sad intelligence that our colleague had passed from 
earth to the great beyond. 

In the death of Hon. Phtkr J. Otey the Sixth Congres- 
sional district of Virginia lost a faithful and efficient Repre- 
sentative and the State a true and loyal son, who served her 
well in war and peace. A faithful and devoted husband, an 
affectionate father and grandfather, and a warm-hearted and 
sympathetic friend has been removed from the companionship 
of those whom lie delighted to supply with every needed com- 
fort and cheer with the words of affection and good will that 



Address of Mr. Lamb, of Virginia, 63 

came from a heart unusually free from selfishness as well as 
envy and uncharitableness. 

Were I asked to point out in a word the leading trait of 
character in our departed colleague, I would say that charity 
was his crowning virtue. During the five years of somewhat 
intimate association with him I never heard him speak un- 
kindly of anyone. His political opponents will, I am sure, 
bear willing testimony to this. Although possessing a fund 
of humor that he employed at times with telling effect, he 
never used this power to detract from another or in such a 
manner as to leave any sting of bitterness behind. He was 
ever ready to serve a friend, and would put himself to any 
trouble in order to aid a colleague. In this respect, as well 
as in other qualifications, he was well equipped for his ardu- 
ous duties as a member of the Committee on Claims. 

Many others here, besides myself, will testify to the truth 
of this observation. His industry was equally conspicuous 
This gave him a hold upon his district. No member of the 
Virginia delegation worked more constantly and effectively 
for his people. His constituents often spoke to me of his 
untiring zeal in their behalf. Had he lived it is my belief 
that he would have remained in Congress as long as he de- 
sired. I take this occasion to bear willing testimony to his 
helpfulness. He had served in the Fifty-fourth Congress. I 
came in the Fifty-fifth. I had known him slightly as a 
business man and a useful citizen, but knew him in spirit as 
a gallant Confederate soldier. This tie soon drew us together 
and he was prompt to offer such suggestions and assistance 
as a new member always appreciates and can never forget. 

His acquaintance with the details of the work here soon 
attracted my attention, and I was not slow to follow his 
example and profit by his advice. He had a taste lor his 
work as well as ability to perform it. Men of extraordinary 



64 Life and Character of Peter J. Otey. 

ability are sometimes failures as Representatives for lack of the 
taste, tact, and industry that are absolutely necessary in order 
to meet the demands of an exacting or, possibly, censorious con- 
stituency. With an adaptability to the work and ability to 
perform it, Major Otey had acquired the experience necessary 
for the duties of his position, and was giving his district and 
State a splendid service when Death laid his cold hand upon 
him and transferred his immortal spirit to the better land, 
whose Maker had endowed our friend with a generous heart 
and loving disposition. 

In the death of our colleague another of that incomparable 
body of men, "the glorious infantry of the Army of Northern 
Virginia," has passed from earth's scenes to the celestial city, 
not made with hands, whose builder is God. 

I have not spoken of our friend's faith; we may well judge 
his faith by his works, for we know that "Faith without works 
is dead. ' ' The generous disposition and gentle qualities our 
colleague possessed come through the inspiration of a spirit that 
is not of earth; hence we may infer that our friend had learned 
more of the things of the spirit than he revealed to those not 
bound to him by the ties of home and consanguinity. Of one 
thing I am sure, our friend had the unshaken faith of the Con- 
federate soldier in the justice and right of his course; and there 
are soldiers all over Virginia to-day — I often hear them express 
themselves — who believe that a good and merciful Father above 
will look with special favor upon and prepare places for the men 
who sacrificed so much for liberty and home. Many of these, 
now three score years of age, are struggling with poverty and 
burdened with cares, while a large majority, with rare spiritual 
faith, are looking for a heavenly land. A few believe in the 
law of compensation, and are satisfied that the Confederate 
soldier will have the full reward for all his toils and sacrifices 



Address of Mr. Lamb, of Virginia. 65 

and losses when the Great King above pensions those who 
deserve as well as those who win success. 

In this House in the Fifty-fifth Congress we had thirty-two 
ex-Confederate soldiers. Major Otey prepared a careful list of 
these. We remember the interest he took in a banquet at 
which was gathered these thirty-two Representatives, with 
sixteen of the Senate. He was in his element that night as he 
listened to and himself recounted the war scenes of forty years 

ago. 

The Fifty-eighth Congress will not number twenty ex-Con- 
federates. On both sides of this Chamber the soldiers who met 
in conflict forty years ago are diminishing in numbers. They 
are falling more rapidly than they fell in battle. In a few 
years the places that know them now will know them no more 
forever. The members of the Grand Army of the Republic, 
by whose deeds of valor we ex-Confederates may well measure 
our manhood and chivalry, are falling at the rate of 1,000 a 
mouth. The sons of these soldiers may well be proud of the 
deeds of their fathers. Many of them stood shoulder to 
shoulder in recent conflicts. After forty years of warfare the 
houses of York and Lancaster were united in one. More than 
a generation has passed since our civil war. May every trace 
of bitterness soon pass away and this Republic live to bless the 
world and gladden the hearts of men everywhere, preparing 
them for the universal reign of peace and righteousness on 
earth. 

H. Doc. 714 5 



66 Life and Character of Peter J. Otey. 



Address of Mr. Mercer, of Nebraska. 

Mr. Speaker: My presence here to-day is because of the 
friendship and respect I had for the deceased during his 
service in Congress, and until a few moments ago I had no 
intention of adding words to those so fittingly contributed by 
my colleagues as additional evidence of my love and respect 
for him and for his memory. 

Mr. Otey was an associate of mine on the Committee on the 
District of Columbia, and during the years we served together 
I found him in daily attendance at committee meetings, ever 
mindful of the interests of his constituents and his country. 
He examined very carefully all bills referred to him for con- 
sideration, and in the hearings before the committee and in 
the discussions of measures brought before us for action he 
exhibited a deep knowledge, and his advice and suggestions 
were valuable and instructive. 

On the floor of the House he was a unique character, especi- 
ally in debate. He very seldom occupied the attention of the 
members by speech, but when he did his associates were pre- 
pared for an entertainment both amusing and instructive. His 
wit was refreshing. We always enjoyed it, even when it turned 
against Republicans, collectively or individually. In the clos- 
ing days of Congress Mr. Otey was a prominent figure in songs 
and jollification, and none of us will ever forget his rendition 
of "Dixie," one of his favorite songs. The Southern accent, 
the gesticulations, and the dance steps made his rendition of 
' ' Dixie ' ' inimitable. 

Otey was always young. Age in years never made him old 
in his associations. He loved children and always entered into 
their sports as one of them. He never forgot that he was at 



Address of Mr. Mercer, of Nebraska. 67 

one time a boy, and he was full of excuses for the pranks of 
youth. The young men and women of his acquaintance found 
in him a companion and a friend, and were never chagrined 
by severe censorship on his part. Thus he obtained their 
confidence and officiated as their adviser, leading them into 
paths of rectitude and wisdom rather than along the highways 
of recklessness and failure. 

Mr. Otev was a patriot. Although he and six of his broth- 
ers joined the Southern Confederacy and fought bravely and 
persistently for the stars and bars, when that unfortunate war 
came to a close he became a better American citizen than ever 
before, and in spite of the wounds and ailments received by him 
as a soldier in the Confederate army he was ever ready to fight 
for the Stars and Stripes. 

Of late years Major Otey realized that he would leave this 
earth upon a sudden call. Only a few days before his death he 
and I attended a banquet in Baltimore, and he then informed 
me that his heart was bothering him and he was obliged to be 
very careful in his diet and comportment. That night at the 
banquet table he spoke as one realizing his near approach to 
another world. His words were eloquent, full of feeling, and 
left a most intense impression upon his auditors. 

He referred to the boys in blue and gray who had gone 
before him, told of their patriotism and loyalty, rejoiced that 
peace now reigned in the Republic, and declared that his eternal 
prayer was that never again should the country be embroiled 
in civil strife. He congratulated himself that he was at peace 
with all mankind. The announcement of his death was a 
sudden shock to his many friends as well as to his family; but 
it was only another reminder that none of us are here per- 
manently and that we should be prepared at all times to 
receive a summons from the Great Master. Our friend is gone, 
but the world is better because he lived in it. 



68 Life and Character of Peter J. Otey, 



Address of Mr. Mahon, of Pennsylvania. 

Mr. Speaker: I can not let pass this opportunity to pay a 
short tribute to our late associate and my personal friend, Peter 
Johnston Otey. I became acquainted with him in the early 
days of the Fifty-fourth Congress, when he first entered this 
honorable assemblage. Although differing in political faith 
and having fought on opposite sides in the great conflict be- 
tween the States, our acquaintance soon ripened into the warm- 
est friendship. I found him at all times to be a loyal friend, 
true to his country, true to his party, true to his State, true to 
his friends, and, above everything else, true to himself. 

He led a life of simplicity, one free from ostentation. His 
paramount thought seemed to be his duty to his constituents; 
and without disparagement to any other member of this House 
it can be truthfully said that no one devoted more labor and 
painstaking efforts to the interests of his district than did Major 
Otey. Frequently have I seen him working far into the night 
on the multifarious duties which fall to the lot of a member of 
Congress. Among his numerous virtues, were I to select one 
that was preeminent it would be the sacredness with which 
he regarded the fulfillment of a promise. His word once 
given could be relied upon implicitly. No matter how trivial 
the attendant circumstances nor how small the detail, his 
promise invariably resulted in his best efforts toward its 
accomplishment. 

Among his many public acts none will be more conspicuous 
than the opportunity for relief afforded to suffering soldiers by 
the establishment of a dental corps in the Army which, as we 



Address of Mr. Mahon, of Pennsylvania . 69 

all know, was largely brought about by his indefatigable 
efforts. When he arose to speak on any subject on the floor of 
this House, he commanded the respectful attention of all. ( >n 
many occasions his infectious good humor and brilliant flashes 
in wit have enlivened the usually monotonous proceedings. 
His wit was not of the kind that hurt or carried with it a sting, 
for in all his public utterances we have never heard him speak 
one word derogatory to any man. In his private life even those ' 
who knew him best never heard from him of the many acts of 
kindness which he performed nor of the helping hand which 
he lent to those in trouble. No one ever appealed to him for 
assistance and was turned away. 

Unselfish, pure in mind, devoted to duty, a loving husband 
and father, a devoted friend, was Pkter J. Otey. Surely his 
epitaph should be ' ' Faithful in all things. ' ' 

In closing these remarks. I can not refrain from expressing 
my heartfelt sympathy for his devoted wife, whose untiring 
help in sunshine and shadow was, as Major OTEY frequently 
remarked, the secret of his success. 

The Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Jones of Virginia). New, 
in accordance with the resolutions previously adopted, the 
House stands adjourned until 1 1 o'clock to-morrow. 

And accordingly (at 3 o'clock and 25 minutes p. m.) the 
House adjourned. 

March 2, 1903. 
message from the senate. 

The message also announced that the Senate had passed the 
following resolution: 

Resolved, That the Senate has heard with deep sorrow the announcement 
of the death of Hon. Peter Johnston Otev, late Representative in Con- 
gress from the Sixth Congressional district of Virginia, 

Resolved, That the business of the Senate be now suspended that proper 
tribute may be paid to his memory. 

Resolved, That as a further mark of respect the Senate will, upon the 
conclusion of these memorial exercises, adjourn. 

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate communicate these resolu- 
tions to the House of Representatives. 



Proceedings in the Senate. 

May 5, 1902. 
message from the house. 

A message from the House communicated to the Senate the 
intelligence of the death of Hon. Peter J. Otey, late a Rep- 
resentative from the State of Virginia, and transmitted 
resolutions of the House thereon. 

The message further announced that the Speaker of the 
House had appointed Mr. Jones, of Virginia; Mr. Swanson, 
Mr. Rixey, Mr. Hay, Mr. Lamb, Mr. Rhea, of Virginia; Mr. 
Flood, Mr. Hepburn, Mr. Meyer, of Louisiana; Mr. Jenkins, 
Mr. Lanham, Mr. Olmstead, Mr. De Armond, and Mr. McCall 
as members of the committee on the part of the House. 

DEATH OF REPRESENTATIVE PETER J. OTEY, OF VIRGINIA. 

The President pro tempore. The Chair lays before the 
Senate resolutions from the House of Representatives, which 
will be read. 

The Secretary read the resolutions, as follows: 

In the House of Representatives, May 5, 1902. 

Resolved, That the House has heard with deep regret and profound sor- 
row of the death of the Hon. PETER J. OTEY, a Representative from the 
State of Virginia. 

Resolved, That a committee of fourteen members of the House, with 
such members of the Senate as may be joined, be appointed to attend the 
funeral, at Lvnchburg, Va., and that the necessary expenses attending the 
execution of this order be paid out of the contingent fund of the House. 

Resolved, That the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House be authorized and 
directed to take such steps as may be necessary for properly carrying out 
the provisions of this resolution. 

7i 



72 Proceedings of the Senate. 

Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the Senate 
and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the deceased. 

The Speaker announced the appointment of Mr. Jones, of Virginia; Mr. 
Swanson, Mr. Rixey, Mr. Hay, Mr. Lamb, Mr. Rhea, of Virginia; Mr. Flood, 
Mr. Hepburn, Mr. Meyer, of Louisiana; Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Lanham, Mr. Olm- 
sted, Mr. De Armond, and Mr. McCall as members of the committee on the 
part of the House. 

Mr. Daniel. Mr. President, I beg leave to offer the follow- 
ing resolutions. 

The President pro tempore. The resolutions will be read. 
The Secretary read the resolutions, as follows: 

Resolved, That the Senate has heard with deep regret and sorrow the 
announcement of the death of Hon. Peter J. Otey, Representative in 
Congress of the Sixth Congressional district in Virginia. 

Resolved, That a committee of seven Senators be appointed l>v the 
Presiding Officer of the Senate to join the committee of the House of 
Representatives to make arrangements for and to attend the funeral of the 
deceased. 

The President pro tempore. Will the Senate agree to the 
resolutions submitted by the Senator from Virginia? 

The resolutions were unanimously agreed to. 

The President pro tempore appointed as members of the 
committee on the part of the Senate Mr. Daniel, Mr. Martin, 
Mr. Bate, Mr. Clay, Mr. Gallinger, Mr. Clark, of Wyoming, 
and Mr. Millard. 

Mr. Daniel. Mr. President, E move that as a further mark 
of respect to the memory of the deceased the Senate do now 
adjourn. 

The motion was unanimously agreed to; and (at 4 o'clock 
and 56 minutes p. m. ) the Senate adjourned until to-morrow, 
Tuesday, May 6, 1902, at 12 o'clock meridian. 



MEMORIAL ADDRESSES. 

February 17. 1903. 

Mr. Daniel. Mr. President, I desire to give notice that on 
Saturday afternoon, February 28, I shall ask the Senate to 
consider resolutions in commemoration of the life, character, 
and public services of the late Hon. Peter J. Otey. formerly 
a Representative of the Sixth district of Virginia. 

Sunday, March i, 1903. 
At the expiration of the recess, 11 o'clock a. m., Sunday, 
March 1, 1903, the Senate reassembled. 

MEMORIAL ADDRESSES ON THE LATE REPRESENTATIVE OTEY. 

Mr. Daniel. Mr. President, I ask that the resolution of 
the House of Representatives concerning the death of the late 
Representative Otey be read. 

The President pro tempore. The Chair lays before the 
Senate resolutions from the House of Representatives, which 
will be read. 

The Secretary read the resolutions, as follows: 

In House of representatives, June 2g, 1902. 

Resolved, That as a mark of respect to the Hon. PETER J. OTEY, late 
a member of this House from the State of Virginia, and in pursuance of 
the order of the House heretofore made, the business of the House be 
now suspended to enable his associates to pay fitting tribute to his high 
character and distinguished services. 

Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to tin- Senate. 

73 



74 Life and Character of Peter f. Otey. 

Resolved, That as an additional mark of respect at the conclusion of 
these exercises the House do adjourn. 

Resolved, That the Clerk be, and he is hereby, instructed to send a 
copy of these resolutions to the family of the deceased. 

Mr. Daniel. Mr. President, I ask leave to offer the reso- 
lutions which I send to the desk. 

The President pro tempore. The Senator from Virginia 
offers resolutions, which will be read. 

The Secretary read the resolutions, as follows: 

Resolved, That the Senate has heard with deep sorrow the announce- 
ment of the death of Hon. Peter Johnston Otey, late Representative 
in Congress from the Sixth Congressional district of Virginia. 

Resolved, That the business of the Senate be now suspended that 
proper tribute may be paid to his memory. 

Resolved, That as a further mark of respect the Senate will, upon the 
conclusion of these memorial exercises, adjourn. 

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate communicate these resolu- 
tions to the House of Representatives. 






Address of Mr. Martin, of Virginia, 75 



Address of Mr. Martin, of Virginia. 

Mr. President: This hour has been set apart by the Senate 
in order that proper tribute may be paid to the name of a 
distinguished citizen of Virginia, Maj. Peter J. Otey, who 
died while serving in the House of Representatives. It 
becomes mj- sad duty to contribute a few words in honor of 
the memory of my deceased friend. 

I became acquainted with Major Otey about the time I 
reached years of manhood. Our acquaintance afterwards 
ripened into friendship. From the year 1885 to the time of 
his death our relations were of the closest and most intimate 
character. I never knew a purer or better man, a more loyal 
or patriotic citizen, or a more faithful and efficient Representa- 
tive in the halls of Congress. 

Major Otey was born in the city of Lynchburg on the 22d 
day of December, 1840. He was educated at the Virginia 
Military Institute, at Lexington, \'a., an institution of high 
order, modeled after the West Point Military Academy, grad- 
uating from that institution on the 1st day of July, i860. 
During the brief period intervening between his graduation 
and the commencement of the war between the States Major 
Otey was employed as a civil engineer in the work of railroad 
construction. At the very commencement of the war he entered 
the Confederate Army, and served to the end as an officer, first 
in the infantry and then in the artillery branch of the service. 
He was wounded at the battle of Newmarket, in the valley of 
Virginia, in the spring of 1S65. He was captured at Waynes- 
boro, Va. , by the Federal Army on the 2d day of March, 1865, 



76 Life and Character of Peter J. Otey, 

and was a prisoner at Fort Delaware when the war ended. 
His career as a soldier was without a blemish in any respect, 
and was characterized by a spirit of self-sacrifice, by a devotion 
to duty, and by a courage which endeared him to his comrades, 
and placed his name high on the rolls of distinguished soldiers 
produced in the great Commonwealth of Virginia. When 
hostilities ceased Major Otey returned to the duties of private 
life with the earnestness, energy, and zeal always characteristic 
of him. At one time in the insurance business, at another the 
cashier of the leading ba'nk in his city, and at another the 
president of the Lynchburg and Durham Railroad Company, 
which was planned and organized by him, he always commanded 
the respect aud enjoyed the confidence of the best business 
interests in his State. 

While engaged in the active pursuits of business, and seek- 
ing no political preferment for himself, his devotion to his State 
and his unfaltering conviction that the interests of his country 
would be best promoted by the principles of the Democratic 
party, he contributed generously of his time, his thought, and 
his means to the State and national campaigns of his party. 
In 1894, f° r the first time, he became a candidate for an office. 
He announced himself a candidate for Congress in the Sixth 
Virginia district, and was easily nominated and elected. He 
served in the Fifty-fourth, Fifty-fifth, Fifty-sixth, and Fifty- 
seventh Congresses, and died after a very brief illness in his 
native city on Sunday the 4th day of May, 1902. 

In his Congressional work he was essentially practical. No 
detail was too small to be worthy of his attention; no problem 
was so complicated or so profound that he did not aid in its 
elucidation and solution. He was one of the wisest aud most 
reliable and conservative counselors in his party. 



Addms of Mr. Martin, of Virginia. 77 

He was not an orator in the ordinary acceptation of the term, 
but he was an able debater, a strong, forcible, and logical 
speaker, and able to use, and in the habit of using, on proper 
occasion, most effectively, not only the embellishments of rhet- 
oric, but wit, humor, invective, and anecdotes. He was a man 
of marked ability and of great usefulness in the public service. 
In his death, not only his friends, but his State and the coun- 
try suffered an irreparable loss. 



78 Life and Character of Peter J. Otey. 



ADDRESS OF MR. GALLINGER, OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. 

Mr. President: My acquaintance with Mr. Otey was not 
intimate, but I knew him well enough to respect him highly 
and to regard him as a very valuable member of the House of 
Representatives. He was a kind-hearted, cordial, sympathetic 
man, whose companionship was delightful and whose friendship 
was well worth possessing. He seemed always to look on the 
bright side of life and was full of anecdote and charming 
reminiscence. To him sunshine was better than cloud and 
laughter more desirable than gloom. He was the kind of man 
who stands for what is best in life, intent upon leaving an 
impress for good on the communitj" in which he lived. 

Others who knew him better than I will tell the story of this 
man's life. Military student, soldier, engineer, railroad man, 
banker, and Representative in Congress, he acted well his part 
in the varied positions which he occupied. A successful busi- 
ness man, he brought to the discharge of his duties in Congress 
the same industry, method, and executive ability which made 
him successful in business pursuits, and thus he achieved 
success as a legislator and endeared himself to his constituents 
by promptly and cheerfully responding to the multitudinous 
calls that in these busy days come to men in public life. 

Mr. President, 1 shall never forget the large concourse of peo- 
ple that gathered in the church in the beautiful and picturesque 
city of Lynchburg on the occasion of the funeral of Congress- 
man Otey. It was not a gathering of people attracted by curi- 
osity or of those who perfunctorily responded to what might 
seem to them a neighborly duty. Rather it was an outpouring 



Address of Mr. Gallinger, of New Hampshire. 79 

of men and women who were anxious to pay the last tribute of 
respect to a man whom the}" deeply respected and loved. There 
were many eyes wet with tears in the assemblage, and a solemn 
hush fell on all when the good priest, in simple words, told of 
the generous qualities and kindly deeds of the deceased. He 
said that Mr. Otey had left to his family the heritage of a noble 
life, which was infinitely better than stocks and bonds or silver 
and gold. How fortunate will it be if, when the final summons 
comes, the same thing can truthfully be said of us. 

Mr. President, I need not say more. This man illustrated 
in his life the thought that Ruskin has burned into the very 
souls of many of his readers: "Think you," says Ruskin, 
"that judgment waits till the doors of the grave are opened? 
It waits at the doors of your houses — it waits at the corners of 
your streets. We are in the midst of judgment — the insects 
that we crush are our judges — the moments that we put away 
are our judges— the elements that feed us judge as they minis- 
ter, and the pleasures that deceive us judge as they indulge. 
Let us, for our lives, do the work of men while we bear the 
form of them, if, indeed, those lives are not as a vapor, and do 
not vanish away." 

Peter J. Otey lived up to high ideals. The world was the 
better because of his having lived in it; and so to-day those of 
us who knew him gladly pay tribute, however humble and 
incomplete it may lie, to the memory of a loyal friend, a true 
man, and a faithful public servant. 



8o Life and Character of Peter f. Otey. 



Address of Mr. Perkins, of California. 

Mr. President: The State of Virginia is more than the 
mother of Presidents. It has reared and sent forth into public 
life so many other men of the highest intellectual attainments 
and moral character that it seems to me it has as much reason 
for pride in that fact as it has in that it has placed so many 
distinguished men in the seat first occupied by Washington. 
Of these natives of the Old Dominion Peter J. Otey was one, 
and his death presents the opportunity to give voice to that 
acknowledgment of the high qualities with which he was 
endowed — that is, I fear, neglected too often during the life of 
those we respect and love. 

Mr. Otey possessed in a notable degree those ingrained Vir- 
ginian qualities of courage, loyalty, and devotion which have 
always been the distinguishing marks of the sons of that great 
State. He was educated in her schools, and in her military 
institute received that training which in after years enabled him 
to win distinction on the field of battle. When the civil war 
arose he abandoned all private business and entered the ranks 
of the defenders of the Southern cause. Throughout that great 
struggle he devoted all his strength, all his energy, all his time, 
and all his means to the great movement to which he had given 
his heart. There was never a sign of faltering or weakness. 
He went on to the end with that indomitable courage which 
characterizes the true soldier. But when the end came, he 
recognized it to be the end, and that his work on battlefields 
was done. Not one of the hundreds of thousands who accepted 
the solution of the great struggle was more sincere than he. 



Address of Mr. Perkins, of California. Si 

He had given his love and loyalty to a union of a part of the 
American States; but when it was determined that there could 
be no dividing line, this love and loyalty embraced the whole: 
and after the smoke of battle had cleared away there existed 
no man ready to dare more for the United States of America 
than Peter J. Otey. Though he had broadened his allegiance, 
however, and had buried forever the cause for which he fought, 
he did not forget his old comrades in arms. Brave men who 
have fought side by side in war must ever stand shoulder to 
shoulder in peace. 

So it was that when Mr. Otev entered public life there 
were behind him the men who had, in times of stress, learned 
to know what manner of man he was. That they judged cor- 
rectly that he would act as a legislator as he fought as a sol- 
dier is known to all members of the House of Representatives 
who served with him. In his capacity of Representative from 
Virginia he manifested the same courage, the same tenacity, 
the same kindness, consideration, and manly affection that 
had endeared him to his soldiers. Xo one who knew him 
well could escape the recognition of these gentler qualities. 
They showed themselves in the dry routine of legislation, 
where there was a chance to give the benefit of a doubt to 
the weaker party. They showed themselves in the considera- 
tion of measures affecting the material interests of sections 
or of individuals. They were ever manifest in his relations 
with his colleagues, and their sincere sorrow at his death is 
the measure of his worth as a man. 

With all his seriousness of purpose, his devotion to duty, 
and his unwearying labor, he possessed a lightness of heart 
and a fund of humor which kept him young and in sympa- 
thy with the present and all that the present holds. None of 
H. Doc. 714 6 



82 Life and Character of Peter f. Otey. 

those who were fortunate in his companionship will forget the 
mirth and joy which he so often caused. And in the House 
itself not infrequently his genial humor brought back to a 
reasonable basis a discussion that earnestness and passion had 
carried beyond bounds. His wit was of that rare kind which, 
though sure of its mark, never left a rankling wound, but 
rather soothed and pacified. It was a gift which had not a 
little to do with the personal affection with which he was 
regarded by all those who knew him, and which commanded 
the respect of those who were not within his intimate com- 
panionship. 

While Mr. Otey was a most earnest and loyal member of 
his party, none of his political opponents have ever been able 
to charge him with any of the questionable acts which some- 
times are laid at the doors of public men. He secured and 
held the respect of Republicans as well as of Democrats, and 
the former as well as the latter in his Congressional district 
were proud to be represented in Congress by him. In his 
work for his constituents he was indefatigable, and his sin- 
cere desire to serve them in whatever way was proper 
made him one of the hardest working of the members of the 
House of Representatives. It was his greatest pleasure to 
secure some measure of relief, or some little benefit, for a 
worthy and needy constituent, for his sympathy went out to 
such as had missed much of the good fortune of the world. 
Hence his loss was felt among his constituents as a personal 
loss, and when his body was taken to its last resting place 
there was evidence that he had attained the supreme honor 
of a successful life — the sincere and unselfish love of his 
people. 



Address of Mr. Clay, of Georgia. 83 



Address of Mr. Clay, of Georgia. 

Mr. President: Shortly after I became a member of the 
Senate I formed the acquaintance of Hon. Peter J. Otey, 
late a member of the House of Representatives from the State 
of Virginia. I often met him and conversed with him up to 
the time of his death. But a short while before he died I 
enjoyed a most pleasant and agreeable conversation with him 
in this Chamber. Apparently he was in good health, and I 
was shocked when I heard of his death. I had no personal 
acquaintance with him until after he became a member of 
Congress, but often saw him and conversed with him during 
his public career. I can scarcely now realize that he has 
passed forever from our fellowship. Conversation with the 
distinguished dead convinced me that he was a man of 
thought, and that his abilities were directed in advancing the 
best interests of his country. 

Reared and educated at the Virginia Military Institute, 
from which he graduated in i860, he early acquired that 
breadth of mind and honesty of purpose which so well 
equipped him for the duties and responsibilities of life. He 
never held a public office until he was elected to Congress, 
taking his seat upon the assembling of the Fifty-fourth Con- 
gress, and was reelected to the Fifty-fifth, Fifty-sixth, and 
Fifty-seventh Congresses. Had he lived, doubtless he would 
have been renominated without opposition and reelected to 
the Fifty-eighth Congress, for he was highly esteemed and 
greatly beloved by the people of his district. The deceased 
was a brave Confederate soldier, gave tour years of his life 



S4 Life and Character of Peter J. Otey. 

to this service, and his record as a soldier is without a blot 
or blemish. He fought under Breckinridge, Longstreet, and 
Early, and his companions in arms testify that he was 
always found in front of the battle discharging faithfully and 
courageously the duties of a soldier. 

When the civil war ended he accepted the result in good 
faith and went to work to rebuild the fortunes of Virginia 
and to bring about a fraternal feeling between all sections of 
our common country. He soon demonstrated that the success 
which he had achieved as a soldier was destined to mark his 
career as a business man. He won the confidence and the 
esteem of the good people of the city of Lynchburg, where he 
resided, and was nominated and elected to represent his dis- 
trict in Congress. The distinguished dead never lost his devo- 
tion and enthusiasm for his companions in arms and was 
universally loved by them at the time of his death. 

My limited acquaintance with the deceased convinced me 
that he was an industrious and thoughtful legislator, a tender 
and loving husband and father, a kind, just, and considerate 
neighbor, a broad-minded and patriotic American citizen, always 
ready and anxious to discharge, in an intelligent way. his 
public duties, keeping in view the preservation of our free 
institutions, hoping to advance in every honorable way possible 
his country's good. 

He was incapable of cherishing malice, and charity was one 
of his crowning virtues. He worked constantly and effectively 
for the people of his district and was candid, courageous, hon- 
est, and full of sympathy for his fellow-man. As a friend he 
was interesting and delightful, always carrying with him sun- 
shine and happiness. 

Those who knew him as a student, as a soldier, as a private 



Address of Mr. Clay, of Georgia. 85 

citizen, as a husband and father, as a member of Congress, bear 
testimony that he was faithful in the discharge of every duty. 
He was just such a Representative as might be expected from 
the Commonwealth of Virginia. No State in the Union has 
done more to give to the world the best Government ever 
established for the liberty and happiness of man than this great 
Commonwealth. On Virginia's soil and through the influence 
of Virginia's sons opposition to British tyranny was first 
planted. It was the immortal Patrick Henry who kindled the 
flame that united the American colonies in favor of American 
independence. 

It was Thomas Jefferson, Virginia's distinguished son, who 
drafted the Declaration of Independence, uniting the colonies 
and constituting a republic that in a little more than a hundred 
years has outstripped all the nations of the earth. Nowhere 
among the family of nations will be found that happiness and 
liberty and equality of rights which the American citizen 
enjoys. The Declaration of Independence which Thomas 
Jefferson drafted, separating us from the mother country, 
brought to the infant Republic a revolution that lasted for 
eight years, and which threatened our extermination. Our 
chieftain in this sanguinary struggle, which resulted in Amer- 
ican independence, was Virginia's son. When the Federal 
Constitution was under discussion it was Mr. Madison who 
was its ablest champion, and he will always be accorded in 
histon- the place he deserves in connection with the formation 
of our fundamental law. When we seek to know the origin 
and history of the Monroe doctrine, that no foreign govern- 
ment should cross the waters and establish governments on the 
Western Continent, we find this doctrine came to us through 
one of Virginia's distinguished sons. 



86 Life and Character of Peter f. Otey. 

It is not necessary to trace the birth, the education, or the 
private life of our dead friend in order to estimate his pure 
worth. 

The fact that the people of Virginia, of the Sixth Con- 
gressional district, elected him to Congress for four consecu- 
tive terms is the highest evidence that he was a man of 
ability, possessing the highest integrity, the broadest patriot- 
ism, the kindliest nature, a lover of liberty and constitutional 
government. Virginians are a brave, chivalrous, and gentle- 
manly people, and are proud of the records made by their 
public servants. They watched with pride the career of our 
dead friend. They loved him, they trusted and honored him, 
and he was in every way worthy of that trust and honor 
which they so freely bestowed upon him. 

In his intercourse with others he was always considerate, 
even tender with the lowly and the humble. He was a sincere 
friend of the poor, a man of unswerving integrity, and all who 
knew him bear testimony to the goodness of his heart in all 
of his relations with his fellows. We can only judge a man 
by the life he lives. His everyday walk preaches the most 
forceful sermon. Deeds and acts are more forceful than words. 
Those who knew him pay beautiful tribute to his memory — 
that Pktkr J. OTEY lived a life of integrity, benevolence, and 
charity, and he taught these virtues to all with whom he came 
iu contact. His manly qualities of heart and mind made him 
universally popular with his colleagues in the House regardless 
of politics. 

I have often heard it said that he never at any time failed to 
remember the slightest wish of any of his constituents; always 
plain, modest, unassuming, loyal, and friendly! 

He died in the very prime of his usefulness and while his 



Address of Mr. Clay, of Georgia. 87 

influence was widening and increasing, and his death was a 
serious loss to the public, as it was a source of irreparable grief 
to his large circle of friends; but the example which he left us 
will long be remembered for the instruction and encouragement 
of those who now survive him. The benedictions of those 
who knew him intimately and who loved him so well, and who 
were the recipients of his many generous acts, will keep his 
memory fresh and unfading forever. 



88 Life and Character of Peter f. Otey, 



Address of Mr. Daniel, of Virginia. 

Mr. President: The commemorative exercises that are now 
transpiring had been appointed for yesterday afternoon. When 
the hour approached the pressure of the public business of the 
Senate was such that those who had charge of it appealed that 
it might be given the right of way. The friends of the late 
Peter Johnston Otey believed that had he been alive he 
would have been the first to waive any personal consideration 
for the affairs of the country, and, acting as they believed the 
living would have acted, they consented that these exercises 
should be postponed until to-day. 

The late Peter Johnston Otey was the Representative 
of the Sixth Congressional district of Virginia. He was born 
in Lynchburg, Campbell County, Va. , on the 22d of December, 
1840, and he died there on May 4, 1902. His death occurred 
in the house of his birth, whose roof had sheltered his lifetime 
and five generations of his ancestors and their descendants. 

This old homestead, erected by his maternal grandfather in 
the early part of the nineteenth century, is a large, substantial 
brick structure of the plain rectangular fashion so common in 
old England and in the Atlantic coast States of the American 
Union. In its dignified simplicity and solidity it is typical of 
the sterling people who erected and lived within its walls, and 
while modern architecture presents many features more alluring 
to the fanciful, I doubt if there be any specimen of it that pre- 
sents so striking an ideal of durability or worth or kindles so 
readily the associations of family and of home. 

John Otey, the grandfather of Peter Johnston Otey, was 



Address of Mr. Daniel, of Virginia. 89 

a soldier of the Revolution of 1776, and long represented the 
count} - of Bedford in the general assembly of Virginia. His 
father, Capt. John Mercer Otey, was a soldier of the war of 
18 1 2, and locating in Lynchburg when the war ended, he 
became a leading citizen — the president of its common council, 
an officer of a bank, and a successful business man whose judg- 
ment was much sought and always respected by his neighbors 
and his friends. He was a man of majestic personal aspect and 
of character and ability befitting his appearance, and he had 
that commanding intelligence and influence to which men bend 
by instinct. Had you looked upon him without knowing who 
he was you would have surmised from his sagacious face and 
commanding form that he was some great public official, such 
as Secretary of the Treasury or Chief Justice of the United 
States. 

Capt. John M. Otey was wedded early in life to Lucy W. 
Norvell, whose family, like his own, had made its mark in the 
Colonial and Revolutionary days of our State, and she was as 
remarkable for intellectual, social, and executive abilities as was 
her husband. She identified herself with religious and chari- 
table works. During the civil war she herself established and 
superintended a hospital in the city of Lynchburg for the 
wounded and sick soldiers. She directed its administration 
with an efficient energy that was universally recognized and 
with a sweet heartedness and charity that made her name as 
proverbial in our community as that of Florence Nightingale is 
throughout the world. 

When our sectional troubles became acute in i860 the Otey 
family, of the old Whig stock — and, indeed, a large majority 
of the Lynchburg people — identified themselves strongly with 
the cause of the Union. The whole State of Virginia was 
similarly disposed, giving its electoral vote to Bell and Everett, 



9<3 Life and Character of Peter J. Otey. 

and still later, after secession was organized, Lynchburg and a 
majority of the Virginia constituencies sent Union representa- 
tives to the State convention. There, led by Alexander H. H. 
Stuart, Jubal Anderson Early, Robert E. Scott, Robert Y. Con- 
rad, John B. Baldwin, Samuel McDowell Moore, and others not 
less able and distinguished, they fought a sturdy fight to avert 
the disaster of dissolution and civil war. 

When President Lincoln called on Virginia to furnish men to 
march against the seceding States the sentiment of the body 
instantly changed. This was war, call it by whatsoever name 
you will, and while Virginia was opposed to secession she still 
less favored the idea of forcing States by the bayonet into un- 
willing political association. It was against the teachings of 
those of her founders whom she most revered and against the 
legendary and traditional principles of her people. The Union 
localities in Virginia indorsed this view, and the Otey family 
and all their neighbors fell into the ranks of forming war. Thi_- 
Hon. James G. Blaine, in his Twenty Years in Congress, and, 
more recently. Gen. Charles Francis Adams, in a memorable 
essay, have eloquently referred to the history and integrity of 
Virginia's convictions and to her stern obedience to her faith. 

I am relating a fact of our history and not discussing it, for 
the discussion has long since eventuated in tragedy and in res- 
toration after tragedy. The fact simply illustrates that when 
revolution comes it sweeps in its headlong currents those who 
are opposed to it in common with those who favor and advance 
it, and our domestic experience, conforming to that which all 
history confirms, utters its warning against those of any and of 
every side who kindle the sparks of sectional strife. 

The children raised by Capt. John M. Otey and Lucy W. 
Otey were eight in number. The eldest, a daughter, Mrs. 
Lucy Walker, alone survives. This noble matron is the widow 



Address of Mr. Daniel, of Virginia. 9 1 

of a brave soldier, Maj. John Stewart Walker, who fell in the 
battle of Malvern Hill. The rest of those children were sons. 
They all volunteered when war came, and were noted for their 
modest valor and their patriotic spirit of self-sacrifice and 

devotion. 

One of them, Capt. Van Rensselaer Otey, who had been a 
lieutenant in the Mexican war. served on the staff of the 
famous cavalry general, J. E. B. Stuart, until ill health neces- 
sitated his assignment to post duty. 

Lieut. Dexter Otey, another, was injured, as the war began. 
by being thrown from a horse and disabled from military duty. 

Col. Kirkwood Otey commanded the Eleventh Virginia In- 
fantry, a regiment of ironsides, and was wounded in Pickett's 
charge at Gettysburg and again at Drurys Bluff. 

Capt. George Gaston Otey commanded a battery of light 
artillery and was mortally wounded at Lewisburg. 

Walter Hayes Otey was adjutant of the Fifty-sixth Virginia 
Infantry, and bravely shared the dangers and hardships of pro- 
tracted war. 

John M. Otey became colonel and adjutant-general for Gen. 

P. G. T. Beauregard. 

Peter Johnston Otey was the youngest and the last sur- 
vivor of this brave brotherhood, a race of manly men whose 
breasts were little stirred by the vanities of ambition or the 
ostentations of life, but rather by the finer impulse to render 
manhood's true account. 

I knew this man of whom I speak to-day, and his memory is 
dear to me. From his earliest childhood we were neighbors, 
kinsmen, comrades, and friends, and I know of no man who 
■ more adequately met all the obligations which life imposed 
upon him, who attempted more things and better did them, 
and none who at the age of 62, at which he died, could look 



92 Life and Character of Peter J. Otey, 

back upon a life more honorably or more usefully spent, or 
could have less in its record that he would wish to regret. 

Graduating at the Virginia Military Institute in i860, he 
entered at once upon his chosen profession as a civil engineer. 
He was scarcely initiated in it when the war drums were 
sounding. He volunteered, of course, and served for a time as 
a lieutenant in the Virginia forces, and fired, it is said, the first 
cannon shot of the war on Virginia soil, from Sewells Point, 
near Norfolk. We find him again soon in the battles of Fort 
Donelson and Shiloh, and presently he becomes a major in the 
Thirtieth Virginia Battalion of Infantry. His war service was 
arduous in Tennessee, west and southwest Virginia, and in the 
Shenandoah Valley, and especially during the last year under 
Breckinridge and Early. 

At Newmarket, in May, 1864, he was stricken down with a 
broken arm in a charge upon a battery which withered the 
assaulting line, when General Breckinridge, the Confederate 
commander, sent to the rescue his only available reserve in the 
battalion of cadets of the Virginia Military Institute, where 
Major Otey had been educated. These boy soldiers of the 
corps to which he had belonged swept the field with a precision, 
steadiness, and compactness of movement that won the admira- 
tion of both armies, passing over Otey's fallen body, accom- 
plishing their purpose, and winning a reputation which remains 
a glorious reminiscence. 

Curious it might seem, and yet it is consonant with the best 
things in human nature and with the invariable character of a 
sensible and magnanimous people, that soldiers of the Union 
Army who witnessed the exploit of these boys in action have 
sent their sons to the Virginia Military Institute to be educated, 
because they saw its worth tested in the test of fire, and a just 
return is found to-dav by our reunited countrv in the fact that 



Address of Mr. Daniel, of Virginia. 93 

many of its younger army officers have been drawn from the 
graduates of this excellent academy and who are sons of both 
those who wore the blue as well as those who wore the gray. 

The wounds of youth soon heal, and Otey was soon back 
with his soldiers. He commanded his brigade at Cedar Creek. 
His character as a fearless fighter became more and more estab- 
lished. The War Records attest it by the frequent compli- 
mentary notices made of his gallantry and skill by his superior 
officers, and had the fortunes of war gone otherwise than they 
did, he was iu close reach of the highest honors of rank that 
can crown a soldier's deeds. But he was not the kind of man 
to ask a medal for gallantry, or stars and wreaths for his collar, 
and in the chance medley of war they came not to him unasked. 
He was content with the supreme reward of duty done. 

At Waynesboro, March 2, 1S65, with a remnant of his band, 
he was captured, and when the war ended he was a prisoner at 
Fort Delaware. He was ere long at home again to begin life 
anew, and to build up from the bottom. To one of his com- 
rades in a similar situation Thomas Carlyle, the great writer 
and philosopher, wrote this advice: " Go ahead and do the 
thing that lies next to you." This was always Major Otey's 
intuitive wisdom, and he lived closely up to it. 

A clerkship in an express office he gladly accepted. He 
became successively a clerk in a railroad office, an engineer of a 
railroad line, teller, and then cashier of a leading bank, the 
founder of a large insurance business that yet continues and 
prospers, and then the president, financier, and builder of the 
Lynchburg and Durham Railroad. 

Never a money lover but always scrupulous as a handler, 
user, and earner of money, he exercised such fine discretion 
and rigid honesty- in all of these employments, and exhibited 
such rare faculties of administrative tact and skill that his 



94 Life and Character of Peter f. Otey. 

fame as a successful and reliable business man spread far and 
wide, and he was looked up to, and justly, as a model and an 
exemplar. 

While system and discipline were manifested in their best 
forms in his business practices, he had beyond them the ripe 
mentality of clear and just judgment. To these were added 
in him an automatic integrity that never debated a question- 
able point of honor, but instantly decided it rightly, and 
a firm purpose that could say "No" with alacrity, however 
specious, alluring, and beguiling might be the temptation to 
say ' ' Yes. ' ' 

It is of such mettle as this that great men are made. We 
often see in our American life some modest man but little 
known suddenly projected into great places of peace or war, 
and the multitude is astonished that he so readily and roundly 
fills that place with all of its complexities and resonsibil- 
ities. 

Peter Johnston Otey was a man of this class, and it is 
my conviction, from an intimate knowledge of his principles, his 
characteristics, and his methods, that there is no executive 
office of our Government that he would not have ably filled in a 
manner that would have given satisfaction to all who trusted 
him and redounded to the renown and welfare of his countrv. 

Major Otey indeed possessed a great variety of talents. He 
was a mathematician who could quickly solve any problem of 
figures, a draftsman who could give you the model of a steam 
engine or in a few strokes of his pen the characteristic features 
of a face or landscape, a musician whose ear for music made 
him at home touching the keys of a piano or the strings of a 
banjo, or in leading the chorus of a happy song. With the 
fishing rod, shotgun, or rifle he was on easy and familiar terms, 
and when he dropped business no one I ever knew entered more 



Address of Mr. Daniel, of Virginia. 95 

heartily or innocently into the spirit of sport or amusement, 
or extracted from it more of pleasure and refreshment. 

Calm and decisive in all serious affairs, he was so concen- 
trative in his work and so imperious in pushing it to its proper 
result that men sometimes thought him cold and indifferent, 
but no man was warmer or more generous in his feeling, none 
responded more readily to an}- call of friendship, patriotism, or 
charity, and none was more alert to do good things for their 
own sake without thought of reward or regard for personal 
consequence. 

When Major Otev had reached the mature age of 54 years, 
the railroad of which he was president underwent the experi- 
ence usual with small interior lines and was absorbed by a 
great trunk line, leaving him without employment. He had 
never held civil office of any kind, either State or Federal, and 
had probably never made a public speech. His business 
occupations had been such as tended to withdraw him from 
rather than prompt him to political ambition. But he had 
always been a public-spirited citizen. He had served for years 
in the common council of his town, like his father before him. 
He had performed many other unremunerative labors as a 
part} - committeeman and as a citizen, attentive to the concerns 
of the common weal and of his neighbors and friends, and he 
had won the confidence and good will of all who knew him. 

He determined in 1894 to become a candidate for Congress, 
and went at it with the directness which characterized all of 
his methods, publishing a brief card stating that candidates 
often stated to the public that they yielded to the solicitations 
of friends, and would serve if elected, to the sacrifice of per- 
sonal interests; whereas in his case he was thoroughly satisfied 
that his own interest would be subserved by election, and he 
asked his fellow-citizens directly to vote for him. The people 



96 Life and Character of Peter J. Otey. 

always and justly love plain candor, and this candid presenta- 
tion reenforced their favorable disposition. He was nominated 
by the Democratic party, and elected a Representative in the 
Fifty-fourth Congress. 

Without experience in public speaking, he rapidly acquired 
that art, and soon became an able and interesting advocate 
upon the hustings, knowing his subject in every detail, pre- 
senting his views with clearness and force, and adding to the 
attractiveness of his utterances by a play of natural wit, humor, 
and fancy that was singularly engaging. 

In the House of Representatives he made his mark upon 
the floor as well as in the committees of which he was a mem- 
ber. So attentive was he to his constituents in all the details 
of their wants and needs that it was soon commonly said 
throughout the district that ' ' Major Otey is the best Represent- 
ative we have ever had." The very humblest of them, as 
well as the most influential and powerful, commanded his 
instant attention and care. His popularity became so firmly 
established that no one in his party thought of opposing him, 
and his political rivals entered the campaigns without hope 
and came out with ever-increasing majorities against them. 

He was successively chosen a Representative to the Fifty- 
fourth, Fifty-fifth, and Fifty-sixth Congresses, and came here 
as a member of the Fifty-seventh Congress, not only honored 
and beloved by his home people, but also with the hearty 
welcome of his colleagues of whatever party in the House of 
Representatives. Limited time forbids me to recount his 
sen-ices in that body, and this, indeed, has already been better 
done by his colleagues there. 

His services were assiduous and numberless in the mass 
of minor measures and minor matters that make a vast sum 
in the aggregate, and yet are of nc little importance to the 



Address of Mr. Daniel, of Virginia. 97 

localities and persons chiefly concerned, while they cut no 
great figure in public history. They were also important 
and weighty in many public questions of the first magnitude 
and in administrative concerns of large consequence. 

So much was he esteemed that he was made a member of 
the State Democratic executive committee and of the national 
Democratic committee as well. 

He was the propouuder of the measure to provide dentists 
for our Army, which became a law, to the gratification and 
betterment of our soldiers in the field; and President 
McKiuley graciously appointed, as one of the dentists to 
fulfill the terms of the act, Dr. R. W. Morgan, of Lynch- 
burg, who had been a private soldier of Pickett's division, 
and who was wounded at Gettysburg. This gentleman had 
conceived the measure providing for a dentists' corps, which 
is now established. It had been suggested to his mind by his 
own experience as a soldier, and he is now suffering illness 
brought upon him by his service as a dentist with our forces in 
Cuba. This great reform is simply another instance in which 
the experiences of one generation redound to the betterment of 
another, and in which experiences sometimes acquired in 
hostility are woven into the web of a stronger and more 
enduring friendship. 

It was in his home life that Major Otey was most admirable, 
and it was there that he found the rich and exceeding great 
reward for the hardships and dangers that he had passed and of 
all his faithful labors. Married in early manhood to Miss Mol- 
lie Floyd, of a distinguished and intellectual family, the chil- 
dren and grandchildren of their union brought to them the 
fullness of domestic blessing. Mrs. Otey was his constant com- 
panion and helpmate; and in her good judgment and ready 
hand he found that genial comradeship which was to him "a 
H. Doc. 714 7 



98 Life and Character of Peter f. Otey. 

very help in time of trouble," while the many friends who 
shared their fireside warmth and hospitality beheld the charms 
of domestic felicity exemplified in every form of home happiness 
and comfort. 

In the qualities that command respect and that attract and 
endear friendship Major Otey was as richly endowed as in 
intellectual gifts and in moral attributes. Every circle wel- 
comed his sunny presence. He was the best of boon compan- 
ions, whether in a stern fight or in a hunt or upon any scene of 
recreation. His disposition was that of redundant healthful- 
ness, which makes the best of everything that is and hopes and 
strives for the best that may be reached for. 

As no difficulty discouraged him, so no mishap cast him down 
or deterred renewal of endeavor. He was optimistic in all 
things, and his optimism sprung from the true-heartedness and 
clear-sightedness that realizes the unceasing endeavor of the 
Divine Spirit to work out all things for good. 

He dealt but little in attempts to unravel and explain the 
mysteries of our present and future state, which, by their 
infinity, must be inscrutable, but he looked upward to the 
good God in hope, faith, and charity, with a conscience that 
loved right and hated wrong, and with dependence and confi- 
dence as strong as those of a child that looks trustingly into 
its mother's face. He put his creed into his deeds, and his 
life was such that any church in Christendom might have been 
content to point to him as a worthy and exemplary member. 

To this strong, brave, good, and useful man death seemed 
to come all too soon, and yet it gave its forewarning. A 
mouth or so before he died he told me that he had a heart 
trouble, which he felt might take him off at any moment. I 
had never suspected it, nor would anyone who looked upon 
him be likely to do so. His eye was keen and bright; his 



Address of Mr. Daniel, of Virginia. 99 

cheeks were rosy with the flush of health; his indomitable will 
and his cheerful spirit bore him along in the constant and 
efficient discharge of multitudinous duties. The week before 
he died he left Washington for his home, feeling badly. A 
few days later I wrote him at his home a letter, to which, by 
the next mail, according to his punctual custom, I received a 
full reply in his own handwriting. Two days later, Sunday, 
came a telegram stating that Major Otey had died that 
afternoon. 

The morning he died he called for his wife and his check 
book, wrote a check and handed it to her, stating that she 
might need the funds in the affairs of the household; then 
turned to sleep, and awoke only to say "Farewell" to those 
around him, and so his thoughtfulness of others that had been 
the good genius of his life threw their love-lit halo over his 
dying pillow. 

Had he worked less than he did or thought as much of him- 
self as he thought of others and of his duties, his life on earth 
might probably have been prolonged. But as it was, he died 
with the harness on, while all his faculties were bright, and ere 
infirmity had sapped the foundation of his usefulness and the 
happiness of his being. Who can chide that Providence which 
strives unceasingly for the least of evil and for the best of good ? 
The State of Virginia had a true citizen and soldier in the 
person of Peter Johnston Otey, and one who would have 
suffered anything and done anything that became a man to 
serve her. 

The Sixth district had in him a Representative who followed 
what was highest and best in his predecessors and made himself 
an example of fidelity and utility for those who shall follow 
him, a shining example which will inspire their best ambitions 
and sound the bugle call to their best exertions. 



ioo Life a »d Character of Peter J. Otey. 

The United States had in him a faithful and zealous servant, 
who, discounting no true instinct and no manly attribute in his 
breast, did render to them all that their highest ideals could 
dictate of a patriot's duty. 

So he sleeps well and a happy memory remains in the track 
that he pursued, like the light that fills the sky when some 
serene and wholesome planet has departed. 

The President pro tempore. The question is on the adop- 
tion of the resolutions submitted by the Senator from Virginia 
[Mr. Martin]. 

The resolutions were unanimously agreed to, with the 
exception of the resolution relating to adjournment. 

O 



